Friday, August 14, 2026

OL Reign Becomes Third NWSL Club Currently For Sale

  • Raine Group has been hired to lead OL Groupe’s sale process of OL Reign.
  • The Seattle-based Reign join the Portland Thorns and Chicago Red Stars as NWSL clubs seeking new owners.
NWSL has three teams up for sale.
Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle-based NWSL club OL Reign is up for sale.

OL Groupe has hired The Raine Group — which is also involved in the ongoing sale process of Manchester United — to find a buyer.

French newspaper L’Équipe reported Wednesday that OL Groupe agreed to sell a majority stake in its French women’s soccer team Olympique Lyonnais to American businesswoman Michele Kang, who also owns the NWSL’s Washington Spirit. 

OL Groupe responded with a statement noting that the report held “inaccurate information” and no such agreement was in place to sell Olympique Lyonnais. In the same statement, OL Groupe announced its attempt to sell OL Reign. 

An NWSL spokesperson said the league is aware of OL Groupe’s interest in selling the Reign and will “work closely with them to ensure any potential owner(s) are aligned with our league’s vision and values,” according to The Athletic. 

The club joins the Chicago Red Stars and Portland Timbers as NWSL clubs on the market. Upward of 10 suitors are interested in bidding for the Red Stars, with a deal aimed at being finalized this spring, while a group led by former Nike executive Melanie Strong has expressed interest in buying the Thorns and their Portland Timbers MLS affiliate.

Both the Red Stars and Thorns are seeking new buyers after their incumbent owners dealt with investigations into team coaches abusing NWSL players.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Exclusive

Project B Will Launch With Olympic Gender Eligibility Policy

The WNBA has come under fire for lacking an explicit gender policy.
XXXY
Exclusive

Cunningham Controversy Sends XX-XY T-Shirt Sales Surging

Former Levi’s CMO says her brand has seen a huge boost.

How the Chicago Sky Found the League’s Biggest Revelation

Sydney Taylor went undrafted in 2024 and played two years in Europe.

Caitlin Clark Avoids Suspension As WNBA Rescinds Technical Foul

Sky guard DiJonai Carrington was also ejected for a flagrant foul.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

NBA Owners ‘Stunned’ by Lakers Sale, Knicks’ $67M Run, WTA Sex Testing Starts

0:00

Featured Today

Trendy Golf Hat Divide Is More Than a Fashion Fight

As golf has gotten trendier, so has the sport’s style.
Joey Spallina of the Maryland Whipsnakes
August 6, 2026

How Eye Black Became ‘War Paint’ on the Field

“You’re going into battle, doing something you only do on game days.”
August 6, 2026

Tom Brady Explains His Aggressive Push Into Trading Cards

Brady talked to FOS about his eponymous card company.
FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Indian Premier League - IPL - Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India - April 23, 2026 Mumbai Indians' Suryakumar Yadav in action
August 5, 2026

India Is Stealing Cricket’s Throne From England and Australia

India’s insatiable appetite for cricket has shifted the traditional locus of power.
WPBL
July 30, 2026

Who’s Playing Women’s Professional Baseball?

Sixty players from 11 countries are descending on Illinois for six weeks.
Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; The Chicago Bears logo in the end zone before an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bears Call Indiana Stadium Plans Their ‘Sole Focus’

Bears chairman on Illinois: ‘Hope is not a strategy’
Mar 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers owner and chairman Mark Walter walks on the field after the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.
August 13, 2026

‘Totally Nuts’: Mark Walter’s Lightning-Fast Lakers Flip

“It is the fastest flip I know of,” a sports economist tells FOS.
August 13, 2026

Knicks’ Title Run Creates $67 Million Bump for MSG Sports

The NBA team’s parent company reported across-the-board financial lifts. 
Sponsored

Saints Great Turns to Ownership

Marques Colston discusses his Champions Fund launch and finding success after football.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an event to sign an executive order regarding vaccine flexibility, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 10, 2026.
August 12, 2026

White House Denies Involvement in Lakers Sale to Kushner

“This has nothing to do with President Trump or his administration.”
May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Former Disney CEO Bob Iger watches pregame warm ups before the game between Angel City FC and the San Diego Wave at BMO Stadium.
August 12, 2026

Iger, Kushner, Walter Have Sports Empires Beyond the Lakers

The three businessmen already own stakes across major sports leagues.
Josh Kushner and Karlie Kloss attend the annual Allen and Co. Sun Valley Media and Technology Conference at the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley, Idaho, U.S., July 8, 2026.
August 12, 2026

Who Is New Lakers Owner Josh Kushner?

His older brother, Jared Kushner, is married to Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
Jan 24, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the Los Angeles Lakers logo on the shorts of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
August 12, 2026

Lakers Sold to Kushner, Iger for $12.5B Amid Walter Investigation

It’s the second time in 14 months the team has been sold.