OL Reign already had one sister team in French club Olympique Lyonnais. Now the reigning NWSL and Division 1 Féminine champions are partnering with Liga MX’s Club América in another international partnership.
The three women’s soccer teams will collaborate behind the scenes — on scouting, on their academies, on marketing and more. They also will face off in international friendlies as part of the partnership.
OL Reign, Olympique Lyonnais and Club América: a Unique International Agreement in Women's Soccer
— OL Reign (@OLReign) February 7, 2023
➡️ https://t.co/1Q3Vl4SiGr#BoldTogether pic.twitter.com/N1tpA2Y67T
The first friendly will be hosted by OL Reign on Feb. 25. They’ll welcome Club América to their training grounds at Starfire Stadium for the preseason match.
“This global partnership with Club América is not only significant for our clubs, but also for our sport,” OL Reign general manager Nick Perera said. “Together, we will be able to elevate the game by creating unique opportunities for our players, academies, and staff. We’re thrilled for this new partnership and the extensive possibilities that will stem from it.”
OL Groupe, the parent company of Lyon, acquired a controlling stake in OL Reign in 2020, and the clubs have partnered since then.
For example, Lyon’s Eugénie Le Sommer went on loan with the Reign in 2021, scoring eight goals for the Seattle team. And in 2022, the teams met in the Women’s International Champions Cup in Portland.
“It’s important,” Lyon assistant coach Camille Abily said of the WICC trip last summer. “We can meet each other, and I think we can learn about the OL Reign team.”