Season
30 May 2026
A finalized agreement
“I am Michele Kang, the new owner of OL Féminin, and I am with Vincent Ponsot, who is the CEO of OL Féminin. It’s official, our agreement is finally closed. There was impatience, but we couldn’t rush things. It took time, but we managed to finalize the transaction. This is a new beginning for OL Féminin. We are going to move forward. It’s not just about winning trophies, but also about raising the level and making women’s soccer even more professional.”
Programs tailored to women
“Performance directors say that ‘women are not little men,’ so their training and work must be adapted. We have therefore started working on this and have conducted scientific research on women’s bodies. More than 94% of sports research is dedicated to men, so it is normal that there is not yet enough information for women. Here and in Washington, we will focus on women to understand how to train them properly. The players can perform at their best, but we have to make sure the infrastructure is the best it can be. The training environment at OL Féminin is not optimal in terms of staffing and infrastructure. So we have increased the number of staff members. There were people working for both women and men.
Getting fans to come to the stadium
“When I arrived, I spoke with lots of fans and asked them, ‘Why don’t you come to the games?’ They said that OL Féminin won every time, so there was no point in coming. So we worked to understand why people weren’t coming. We conducted a survey of 6,000 Lyon residents to find out. We sent out more than 6,000 surveys, and more than 4,000 people responded in less than 48 hours. This rapid response shows that there is a real demand for women’s soccer in Lyon. There is interest, but there is no balance between passion and actually coming to see the games. So we need to create an environment that encourages this. Last weekend, we had more than 10,000 spectators, and next weekend, we expect more than 20,000. We have explored several locations in the city, and the authorities are supporting us. We haven’t made a decision yet. There are many other issues to consider before building or renovating a stadium. Tomorrow, we are going to see another site. We want to be as close to the city center as possible. “
Her dream project
“Our dream, the dream project, would be to have a large campus dedicated to women and girls. I would love to have a state-of-the-art training center for women and girls; it would not be just for OL Féminin, I would like to build infrastructure
The role of other teams in the growth of women’s soccer
“I think that for us to progress in women’s soccer, it’s not just about one or two teams. Last year in the NWSL, all the teams were performing well, and the standings changed every week. Until the very end, we didn’t know who was going to win. It’s important to improve the situation for everyone. There is no single formula for ensuring that teams progress. Different teams may have different ways of operating. I hope we will work closely with the other teams. I think that together we can improve women’s soccer.”
His role in the organization
“I can’t be physically present in Lyon all the time. In a company, the leader’s role is to set the missions and objectives and ensure that everyone is committed to the project. Then you hire the best people. Money is the lifeblood of the business, you have to provide all the resources, and then it’s up to them to perform. When I bought the team, I was criticized because I didn’t even know who Leo Messi was. There are soccer experts like Vincent Ponsot, but I embody the vision through resources. I’ve already attended many games. I was joking when I arrived because this is my first press conference. I don’t like having my picture taken, I don’t like all that. I wasn’t a soccer player, I played like everyone else at school. I started to take an interest in soccer in 2019 when the US national team won the World Cup. I realized that more resources were needed.”
Attracting sponsors
“I think it’s all connected. When you ask female players what they want, they don’t say they want to earn more money or have a better car. They say, ‘I want to play against the best teams and the best players in a stadium that’s full. My mission is to bring in the fans, to build that community. Once we start doing that, the media and sponsors will come.”
Photo : Lyubomir Domozetski
