BOREHAMWOOD, England -- On a bitterly cold afternoon at Meadow Park, Championship side London City Lionesses -- owned by businesswoman Michele Kang -- proved they are a team ready to compete in the Women's Super League (WSL), despite falling 2-0 to Arsenal in the FA Cup.
While the result didn't go their way -- Arsenal's Laia Codina and Stina Blackstenius secured the Gunners' first quarterfinal appearance in three years -- London City's performance was a testament to their rapid transformation under Kang's ownership.
Just 14 months after her December 2023 takeover, the team already look like a low/mid-table WSL club, almost as if the gulf between the two tiers is non-existent. They frustrated Arsenal, forcing errors and held a disciplined defensive line to keep the top division's third-placed side from cruising into the next round. It was in stark contrast to 12 months ago, when Arsenal comfortably swept them aside with a 4-0 win in the League Cup.
Now the Lionesses, who ended last season in eighth in the Championship, can concentrate on a tight battle for promotion. London City sit second in the Championship, just one point behind former WSL side Birmingham City, but they have a game in hand. Their promotion hopes remain firmly in sight, with a potential title-decider against their closest rivals on the final day. Just eight games stand between them and the WSL, which would change the landscape of the game.
London City are the only fully independent club in the top two tiers of women's football in England. If they secure promotion into a division where Premier League clubs back all 12 teams, it would send a powerful message about the level of investment that is truly needed to be successful.
Kang, who recently pledged to invest $30 million into U.S. women's soccer over the next five years, has heavily backed the Lionesses to accelerate their rise to the top flight. With a blend of experienced leaders and young talent, a new manager, upgraded facilities, and a strategy to expand their fan base, the Pride -- who split off from Millwall in 2019 -- are on the brink of making history.
Few understand investing in women's football better than Kang and what it takes to create trophy-winning teams. Her journey into women's football began in the U.S. when she invested in Washington Spirit in 2020, eventually taking over the club in 2022. The following year, she expanded her influence by acquiring a majority stake in French club Lyon and, in December 2023, completed the purchase of London City Lionesses. Drawing from her experiences in the U.S. and France, she has implemented their proven strategies to drive London City's success.
Since her takeover, the squad has undergone significant transformation, with back-to-back overhauls reshaping the team.
Only three members of the 2022-23 squad remain, and only one of them, Lucy Fitzgerald, featured against Arsenal, with eight players released at the end of the season. The following year saw another major exodus, with nine more departures, leaving only six members of the 2023-24 squad still at the club (or seven including Danielle Carter, who is on maternity leave.)
To rebuild, London City recruited talent from across the Championship, signing players such as Isobel Goodwin from Sheffield United and utilising the loan market, bringing in Arsenal's Teyah Goldie and Freya Godfrey. While Goldie was eligible to face her parent club due to a clause in her contract, Godfrey was not.
However, Kang's vision and financial backing soon attracted high-profile players. One of the biggest signings was Kosovare Asllani, a Sweden international with 187 caps, who was named club captain last June. The 35-year-old, who previously played for AC Milan, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, spoke highly of Kang's ambition:
"I've been waiting for someone like Michele to come along," she told a news conference in central London upon signing. "She's someone who doesn't just talk, but someone who is doing. Everything I've been fighting for, she is fighting for.
"I could have taken an easy choice to join another top club in the world. But after meeting Michele, I wanted to be part of this. This is raising the women's game to the next level."
Asllani's arrival sparked further recruitment of experienced internationals. Two Sweden teammates joined: Sofia Jakobsson, formerly of Chelsea and Bayern Munich, and Julia Roddar, signed from San Diego Wave FC and Hammarby IF, respectively. Japan's Saki Kumagai, a former Roma and Bayern Munich defender, made the move last month.
The quartet boasts vast experience, having won domestic and international accolades, including Champions League appearances. While they remain top-tier professionals, their ages, ranging from 32 to 35, suggest they have only a couple of seasons left before likely retirement. Kang's strategy appears clear: bring in seasoned leaders to push London City into the WSL, then overhaul again once promotion is secured.
The plan seems to be working.
Kang has her sights set on long-term success. During an event in Washington, D.C., in August, she stated it would take at least five years to see a return on her investment. While many signings address short-term goals, others, such as former Barcelona star María Pérez (23), Finnish midfielder Lotta Lindström (20) -- signed two months into Kang's tenure -- and Nigeria international Rofiat Imuran, 20, on a three-year deal, highlight the club's future planning.
Manager Jocelyn Prêcheur, the 42-year-old former PSG boss, has a talent for seamlessly blending seasoned veterans with ambitious young players to build a winning formula.
Off the pitch, Kang is also investing in infrastructure, but there are still gaps. When she introduced Asllani and Prêcheur at a joint press conference, she announced the acquisition and plans to renovate the club's training base and move home matches from Princes Park in Dartford to Bromley's Hayes Lane, increasing capacity by 25%.
One of Kang's key motivations for purchasing London City was establishing a football presence in the capital. Unlike cities such as Newcastle or Southampton, where a single major club dominates, London's football landscape is fragmented, with numerous teams competing for attention, dividing the culture.
"The fact that the name is 'London City,' that's huge in my opinion, and in the London City area there's really no football presence there so it's really right for us to go in and take that as the future," Kang told the Guardian of her choice to purchase London City.
However, attracting a fanbase has been a challenge. The club set a record attendance of 1,781 on the opening day of the season, largely driven by Newcastle supporters. Since then, attendance numbers have struggled to grow. In contrast, Arsenal lead the way in domestic women's football, regularly selling out the 60,000-seat Emirates Stadium.
While the Lionesses' fanbase continues to develop, their facilities also remain a work in progress, still falling short of the elite standards set by top WSL clubs. Initial renovations have been made, but key upgrades -- such as a new gym, improved changing rooms, and enhanced pitches -- are still in the pipeline. A minor planning application was only submitted last month for the Cobdown Park training facility to upgrade one of the existing grass pitches.
Kang's ambitious vision and strategic recruitment suggest London City is on the cusp of a breakthrough and all the foundations are there for the club's continued success. Promotion to the WSL could be the catalyst that propels the club into a new era, and the team certainly look ready for the challenge of top-tier football.