Home of football statistics and historyFormal partnerships between football clubs have become increasingly prevalent in recent years as owners seek to leverage commercial and development opportunities.
Much like in the lucrative online gambling industry, where sites like Playojo have links to other reputable brands, sister clubs are now commonplace across the football world.
Some of the link-ups are high-profile, but many others have flown under the radar. Read on as we look at some of the sister clubs you may not have realised were connected.
Manchester City & Yokohama F Marinos
Manchester City have established an extensive global network of clubs which includes Girona (La Liga), New York City (Major League Soccer) and Melbourne City (A-League).
They also have a link-up with Japanese club Yokohama F Marinos, who initially joined the City Football Group (CFG) in 2014.
The club started life as the Nissan Motor Football Club in 1972 and has evolved into its current incarnation to become a big-hitter in Japan.
Yokohama F Marinos reached the quarter-finals of the 2024/25 AFC Champions League, but are currently struggling in their domestic league.
Nottingham Forest & Rio Ave
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is widely known for his long-standing connection to Greek powerhouse Olympiacos.
He became the majority shareholder of Forest in 2017 and has subsequently used his sizeable wealth to re-establish the club in the Premier League.
Marinakis also completed a takeover of Portuguese club Rio Ave in November 2023, investing over €20.5 million to settle debts and upgrade facilities.
Rio Ave have steered clear of relegation since winning promotion back to the top flight in 2021/22, but are a long way behind the big clubs in Portugal.
Aston Villa & ZED FC
Aside from not realising that Aston Villa had a sister club, many football fans may be wondering where ZED FC are located.
Naguib Sawiris is the owner of Egyptian Premier League club ZED, while his brother Nassef Sawiris is a majority shareholder at Villa.
Other family members are involved with the Egyptian outfit, who entered into a formal agreement with Villa in 2021 to develop the young talent within the club.
ZED won the Best Youth Academy in Africa Award at the 2021 Globe Soccer Awards, highlighting why they are a solid development outlet for Villa.
Chelsea & Strasbourg
Chelsea have previously had relationships with several clubs worldwide, most notably with Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands when Roman Abramovich was owner.
Numerous Chelsea players were loaned to Vitesse including Armando Broja and Mason Mount, but murky geopolitically issues ultimately destroyed the link-up.
The Premier League club have subsequently established a new relationship with French club Strasbourg, and they have already benefited from the partnership.
The Ligue 1 side have qualified for the 2025/26 Europe Conference League play-off round, while some Chelsea youngsters have gained valuable experience in French football.
Wrexham & Necaxa
Given their desire to establish Wrexham as a global brand, it is no surprise that their high-profile Hollywood owner have invested in another club.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought a minority stake in Liga MX’s Necaxa in 2024, joining numerous other celebrities in acquiring a stake in the Mexican club.
Necaxa clinched all three of their Liga MX titles during the 1990s, but have struggled to reach the same heights since the turn of the 21st century.
It will be intriguing to see whether Reynolds and McElhenney can match what they have achieved at Wrexham in the top flight of Mexican football.
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