Mercury13 Acquires Majority Stake in Bristol City Women, Establishing Its Presence in a Leading Women’s Football Market

Mercury13 Acquires Majority Stake in Bristol City Women, Establishing Its Presence in a Leading Women’s Football Market

The first deal of its kind in England, this landmark transaction establishes a new model for women’s football — combining an integrated club structure with commercial independence to grow Bristol City Women into one of the country’s leading clubs

Bristol, September 17th, 2025 — Mercury13, the multi-club ownership group dedicated to the advancement of women’s football, has entered into an agreement to acquire a significant majority stake in Bristol City Women. This marks the group’s second investment in European football, following its entry into the Italian Serie A with the acquisition of F.C. Como Women in 2024. Founded and led by Victoire Cogevina Reynal and Mario Malavé, Mercury13 is building a portfolio of clubs with the ambition of redefining the landscape of the women’s game through strategic investment, competitive ambition and fan-focused growth.

Stephen Lansdown CBE, co-founder of the financial services firm Hargreaves Lansdown, has been involved with Bristol City for more than three decades, and as such is one of the longest serving owners of a professional football club. The Bristol-born owner has invested significant sums into the club, including a £50m redevelopment of its stadium, Ashton Gate to provide a facility fit for the top flight and a multi-million-pound build of the Robins High Performance Centre –a training base and headquarters for the women and men’s first teams.

Bristol City Women was identified early in Mercury13’s market mapping as a club of significant potential with the infrastructure, legacy and fanbase to evolve into one of the leading names in English women’s football. The acquisition reflects Mercury13’s belief that the women’s club represents a unique opportunity to unlock commercial growth, elevate sporting performance and deepen the cultural footprint of the women’s game in a city that has already shown its support by twice selling out England’s Lionesses matches in recent years.

Under Mercury13’s stewardship, the women’s club will call Ashton Gate Stadium its home having agreed a long-term arrangement that reflects a commitment to building fan engagement and matchday excellence as well as continuing to train at the Robins High Performance Centre.

On the pitch, with Head Coach Charlotte Healy taking charge and 13 new players signed, Bristol City Women are targeting a return to the Women’s Super League. With increased investment across the WSL2 and more at stake than ever, this season is expected to be one of the most competitive in recent years.

Mercury13 will continue to invest in the club’s Tier 1 Academy serving a wide catchment across the South West and Wales, and the new ownership structure brings renewed focus to its growth and potential. With a strong legacy of producing international calibre talent — the Academy will be developed to ensure a clear and competitive pathway from youth to first team.

The deal

After more than a decade of investment, the Lansdown family is handing over stewardship of the women’s side of Bristol City to Mercury13 and will retain a minority shareholding. The transaction aims to usher in a new era of dedicated investment, infrastructure, and commercial innovation in the women’s side, setting a benchmark for integrated football club ownership.

Mercury13's investment in Bristol City Women will be held under a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercury 13 LLC.

Completion of the deal is subject to league approval.

Mercury13 was advised by Northridge Law LLP and Deloitte.

Upcoming fixtures

Bristol City Women’s first game at Ashton Gate this season is on Saturday 27 September, with a 6pm kick-off set to follow a live screening of the Rugby World Cup Final in the stadium’s Independence Sports Bar, creating a celebratory double event for fans. All league matches will be streamed live on YouTube, with selected fixtures also broadcast on Sky Sports.

Stephen Lansdown CBE said: “My family and I have watched and supported the women’s team for nearly two decades. From the early days when they competed as Bristol Academy and were transitioning from amateur to semi-pro and playing at SGS College, to our decision to fully fund and integrate the club into Bristol City as a whole, with the move to the Robins High Performance Centre and supporting them into the professional era as part of our sporting group.

“We are proud to have helped be a part of growing the women’s game. Watching that Champions League match in 2014, when as Bristol Academy they beat Barcelona in one of their first games at Ashton Gate, in front of just a few hundred fans; to today, calling Ashton Gate their home, breaking club records for attendances and selling out the stadium when we’ve hosted the Lionesses.

“The growth in women’s football is astounding. We have always said we would look at investment if it was the right partner at the right time, and I believe now is that time for City Women. Mercury13’s ambition for women’s football matches our own; their dedicated investment and focus on women’s football will accelerate Bristol City Women’s growth and I look forward to seeing what the club can achieve in the years to come.”

Bristol City Women Chair and Bristol Sport CEO Gavin Marshall, who led the acquisition process, added: “This is a pivotal moment for Bristol City Women and we are excited about the next chapter in the club’s story. Mercury13 have been excellent to work with throughout the acquisition and have the commitment and capability to drive Bristol City Women forward and continue our proud history as a progressive, innovative and community-focussed club. I am confident that the guardianship of the club is in excellent hands.”

Mario Malavé, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Mercury13, said: “Bristol City Women represents everything we look for in a club: a rich history, a track record of performance, world-class infrastructure, and incredibly loyal supporters. Our entry into the English football pyramid is a major milestone for Mercury13, and one we approach with deep respect and responsibility. We’re honored by the Lansdown family’s trust and are committed to building something special alongside the Bristol community.”

Hannah Haynes, Chief Strategy Officer at Mercury13, who led the acquisition for Mercury13’s added: “We are proud to have reached this agreement between the many stakeholders and are committed to driving the growth of this distinctive and ambitious club during a pivotal time for women’s football in England. Working closely with the wider ecosystem —from broadcasters to commercial partners—we aim to build on strong foundations, enhance the matchday experience and establish the club as a competitive force and a household fixture in the South West.”

About Bristol City Women Football Club & Bristol Sport GroupBristol City, formerly known as Bristol Academy WFC, was a founding member of the Women’s Super League in 2011.The team reached two Women’s FA Cup Finals (2011 and 2013), finishing runners-up in the WSL in 2013, and competing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (2011 and 2014), including reaching the quarter-finals in 2014 and playing Barcelona in the Champions’ League.

As the game began to professionalise, integration into Bristol City FC in 2014 and the Bristol Sport Group founded by Steve Lansdown CBE, allowed for further growth and the team became a fully professionalised outfit by 2018.

After relegation in 2020/21, it took the team just two seasons to get promoted back to the WSL in 2022/23. Whilst the 2023/24 season saw the team relegated, off the pitch the season was a catalyst for growth at the team’s Ashton Gate home with an average attendance of 6,987 - the fifth highest in the WSL. In 2024/25 City Women finished sixth in Barclays Women’s Championship (WSL2) before a summer of recruitment under new Head Coach Charlotte Healey ahead of the 2025/26 WSL2 season.

The Bristol Sport Group was founded by Steve Lansdown in 2012, and includes Bristol City Men and Women’s football teams, Bristol Bears Men and Women’s rugby teams, Bristol Flyers basketball, the clubs’ respective charitable foundations and Ashton Gate, a 365 multi-use stadium hosting 600 events a year with a footfall of more than one million.

About Mercury13

Mercury13 is a multi-club ownership group focused on acquiring majority stakes in professional women’s football teams across Europe. The vision of the group is to become the benchmark in the women’s club ownership industry by identifying and investing in the clubs of the next decade, while enhancing their commercial capabilities to engage a large but historically underserved audience of women’s football fans.

The group’s acquisition strategy is founded on a core principle: women’s football is a different game, and fans seek a distinct experience. Mercury13 is led by executives with proven track records in sports, investment, and technology. The founding team brings together unique expertise, skills, and perspectives that position them to become a leading operator in this sector.