Michele Kang Calls for a Distinct Model for Women’s Football

Spain.- 20 September 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Michele Kang, Founder of Kynisca Sports and one of the leading investors in international women’s football, has argued that the women’s game must develop structures specifically designed for female athletes rather than automatically reproducing models created around men’s football.

Speaking at World Football Summit 2026 in Madrid, Kang highlighted sports science, training, infrastructure, academies, commercial development and fan engagement as key areas for the next stage of the game’s growth.

First Woman to Win Best Executive Award

Kang also became the first woman to receive the WFS Award for Best Executive.

The award recognised the strategic impact of her investment and leadership across women’s football through Kynisca Sports.

Her group includes Washington Spirit, Olympique Lyonnais and London City Lionesses.

Women’s Football Needs Its Own Methods

One of Kang’s central arguments was that women’s teams require their own methodologies.

She said training, physical preparation and match strategy should not simply start with programmes created for male players before reducing the workload.

Her position is that physiological differences require dedicated knowledge and research.

More Research on Female Athletes

Kang highlighted the historical shortage of medical and sports-science research focused specifically on women.

Much of the evidence traditionally used in high-performance sport has been based on studies involving men.

That gap limits the ability of clubs and coaches to design genuinely female-specific performance programmes.

Menstrual Cycle, Sleep and Nutrition

Areas identified as requiring deeper research include the impact of the menstrual cycle on:

• Performance.
• Sleep.
• Nutrition.
• Recovery.
• Training intensity.
• Injury risk.

Kang argued that major questions remain unanswered about how these factors change throughout the cycle.

Sharing Research Across the Game

Kang also supports a collaborative approach to sports science.

Research carried out across Kynisca clubs is intended to be shared more widely so that individual organisations do not need to finance identical studies independently.

The approach is designed to accelerate knowledge across the entire women’s football ecosystem.

Investment in Academies and Facilities

Player development was another central theme.

Kang called for greater investment in academies, training centres and development resources so girls can access opportunities comparable to those historically available to boys.

She views that infrastructure as fundamental to the future competitive level of the women’s game.

Equality of Opportunity Starts at Youth Level

Professional growth cannot be achieved through first-team investment alone.

The wider system requires improvements in:

• Training facilities.
• Specialist coaching.
• Physical preparation.
• Medical services.
• Talent identification.
• Youth development.

Kang believes those foundations will expand both the quantity and quality of future players.

A Business Rather Than Only a Cause

The Kynisca owner also stressed that women’s football should be viewed as an industry with its own economic potential.

Her position is that the game has a viable commercial model and can generate returns for investors when product, audience and brand development are properly funded.

Investment in Audience Development

Kang compared women’s football development with the start-up environment.

A high-quality product alone does not guarantee commercial growth.

Clubs also need to invest in marketing, distribution, content and strategies that bring the game to new supporters.

London City Lionesses as a Business Case

London City Lionesses was highlighted as one example of that approach.

The independent women’s club has strengthened its sporting project through high-profile signings including:

• Alexia Putellas.
• Mapi León.
• Mary Earps.
• Kadidiatou Diani.

Those additions form part of a broader sporting and commercial strategy.

Record Nike Agreement

Kang particularly highlighted London City Lionesses’ agreement with Nike.

She presented the deal as evidence that major global brands see genuine commercial value in women’s football.

Kang also said its value exceeds some sponsorship agreements involving men’s Premier League clubs.

Independent Club Model

London City Lionesses is unusual in that it does not sit beneath a traditional men’s club structure.

That independence allows sporting, commercial and brand decisions to be designed specifically around the women’s team.

Kang sees the model as an opportunity to demonstrate that women’s football can create its own organisational structures.

Kynisca’s Global Strategy

Kynisca is exclusively focused on investing in women’s football and developing an international network of clubs.

Its strategy combines investment in:

• Talent.
• Infrastructure.
• Innovation.
• Performance.
• Sports science.
• Fan engagement.
• Future generations.

The organisation views women’s football as one of the strongest growth opportunities in global sport.

Historic Recognition in Madrid

The World Football Summit award also highlights growing female representation in football leadership.

Kang received the prize during the tenth anniversary edition of WFS Madrid on 15 September.

The Best Executive category recognises measurable impact through strategy, resource management and organisational transformation.

Industry Context

Women’s football is experiencing rapid growth across broadcast rights, attendances, sponsorship, institutional investment and club valuations.

That development is also creating greater scrutiny of whether structures inherited from men’s football remain appropriate.

Kang’s position points towards a second phase of professionalisation built around dedicated science and commercial models.

Next Steps and Impact

Kynisca’s strategy will continue to focus on female-specific research, infrastructure investment and the development of clubs capable of operating as sustainable businesses.

For Kang, the challenge is no longer simply proving that demand for women’s football exists.

The next stage is to build training, development, commercial and fan-engagement systems designed from the outset around the realities of female athletes and the women’s game itself.

Editó: Cristobal R.