The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) of Major League Soccer today entered into an official long-term strategic partnership with Grasshopper Club Zürich of the Swiss Super League. The partnership includes LAFC becoming the new majority shareholder in Grasshopper Football Ltd. Grasshopper Fussball Stiftung will continue to hold a minority interest in the Club.
“We are so excited to partner with GC Zürich,” LAFC Co-President & CBO Larry Freedman said. “Grasshopper Club Zürich is an iconic brand in both Swiss and European football, with an incredible tradition of success and a foundation built on developing top-level talent. LAFC is honored to work together on this long-term partnership with the GC Zürich community and all the supporters as we begin our collaboration.”
Talent development will be a strategic cornerstone of the long-term partnership, building on the club's strong foundation and return to sporting strength.
“We warmly welcome LAFC to GC Zürich,” Member of the GCZ Supervisory Board (Verwaltungsrat) András Gurovits said. “In our initial talks and throughout all of our discussions, we feel confident that this long-term partnership will move this special Club in the right direction.”
LAFC is committed to working with fans and partners to stabilize the club on and off the pitch. LAFC will support GFAG with its expertise and resources throughout the process. LAFC's Managing Director of Europe, Harald Gärtner, will support the management team for the remainder of the season. The short-term goal is to ensure a positive second half of the season and to analyze the club's situation in more detail.
GFAG and LAFC would like to thank former shareholder Jenny Wang for her continued involvement in the club's return to the Super League.
LAFC is one of the most successful teams in MLS since joining the league in 2018, winning the 2022 MLS Cup and the 2019 and 2022 Supporters’ Shield. LAFC advanced to the finals of the 2023 Concacaf Champions League and the MLS Cup.
The partnership with GC Zürich aligns with LAFC`s global vision of building winning teams by providing unique platforms for the development of top young talent. LAFC continues to expand its brand globally, as the Club invested in Austria’s FC Wacker Innsbruck and founded the joint venture Red&Gold Football with its partners FC Bayern München for talent development in markets like South America and Africa in 2023.
Moelis & Company acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Grasshopper Football Ltd.
