City Football Group (CFG), the world’s leading private owner and operator of football clubs, with the Turkish football club, Istanbul Basaksehir (IBFK), have entered into a football collaboration aimed at enhancing both entities’ long-term strategies and success.
Under the agreement, CFG will offer consultation services spanning various footballing projects, including long-term strategy, recruitment, scouting, and coaching methodology, providing IBFK with invaluable insights and expertise.
The collaboration will focus on achieving sustainable growth and success for IBFK through best-practice guidance on player recruitment strategies, academy development, and leveraging data insights. The newly unveiled pact has signified a shared vision between CFG and IBFK to advance footballing excellence and innovation, opening doors to further partnerships across emerging football regions.
Brian Marwood, Managing Director of Global Football at City Football Group, said, “We are delighted to sign this collaboration agreement with Istanbul Basaksehir. We are very proud of the unique expertise and experience we have within CFG Global Football and look forward to working with the Club to further support the growth of football in Turkey.”
Göksel Gümüşdağ, President of Istanbul Basaksehir FK, commented, “Istanbul Basaksehir FK has achieved many firsts in Turkish football despite its young age and today, with this collaboration with the leading football group in the World, it marks another milestone for Istanbul Basaksehir and Turkish football. From the very beginning, we have reiterated at every opportunity that our vision and goals are different and today underlines this expression again. We are very happy, proud and excited. I would like to thank all the people in City Football Group for their approach and support in the process. I hope it will be beneficial for Başakşehir FK and Turkish football.”
Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive Officer at City Football Group, said, “Turkey is a passionate football country, and we are looking forward to working together with Başakşehir on strategic football projects. We aim to contribute to the Club’s success on the pitch and to develop great football expertise and intelligence in Turkey.”
City Football Group (CFG) is a global football organization founded in May 2013, owning and operating 13 clubs across five continents. CFG ensures each club stays true to its fans, plays entertaining football, and benefits from global expertise. With over 4,000 athletes and one billion followers worldwide, CFG prioritizes talent development, fan experiences, and community impact. Major clubs under CFG include Manchester City FC, New York City FC, and Melbourne City FC. The majority owned by Newton Investment and Development LLC, CFG also has a significant minority shareholding from Silver Lake (18.16%).
The Turkish club, Istanbul Basaksehir FK, founded in 2014, is known for its professional and corporate football management approach. Led by major shareholder Göksel Gümüşdağ, the club has seen consistent success since its inception. Playing at Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium, the club has a strong digital presence with over 600 thousand followers. In just 10 years, the club has won the Superlig title, participated in UEFA Champions League groups, and reached the Turkish Cup and Super Cup finals.