Carlos Vela joins LAFC ownership group in minority stake deal

Los Angeles FC’s all-time leading scorer Carlos Vela has joined the club’s ownership group, extending his relationship with the MLS franchise less than a year after retiring as a player.Vela was one of three incoming limited partners who bought a combined 6% stake in LAFC in a transaction agreed in 2025 and completed earlier this year, according to multiple reports, with the deal valuing the club at roughly US$1.25 billion.The investment came as two existing shareholders exited. Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai and Fanatics Collectibles chief executive Mike Mahan both sold their interests as part of the process, the reports said.LAFC has built an unusually high-profile roster of limited partners since launching in 2018, including actor Will Ferrell, basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson and former USWNT player Mia Hamm Garciaparra.Vela’s move follows former Italy centre-back Giorgio Chiellini into the club’s investor group after Chiellini ended his playing career with LAFC in 2023. Chiellini said: “The year before last, I expressed my desire to become an owner, and now I am proud to continue on this path and support a project that I deeply believe in.”The stake sale lands amid continued inflation in MLS franchise values. Sportico’s most recent league valuation ranked Inter Miami first at US$1.45 billion and LAFC second at US$1.4 billion, highlighting the rapid escalation at the top end of the market.Vela, 37, is LAFC’s first designated player and remains one of the defining figures of the club’s early years, including the 2022 MLS Cup title and his 2019 league MVP campaign.The deal also adds to a run of ownership activity across MLS as clubs bring in new capital for roster spend, stadium projects and training infrastructure. Recent transactions cited in US reports include changes of control at Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake, alongside new fundraising for Seattle Sounders’ Longacres development.