Pep Guardiola’s departure from Manchester City at the end of this season is only just confirmed, but the legendary manager’s immediate next move is already known—and he’s not going far.
At least while he rests and takes stock about whether taking on another managerial job is what he wants to do, Guardiola will begin working as an ambassador and technical adviser for the City Football Group, the parent company that owns Manchester City and 10 other clubs globally.
Guardiola will, City say, soon be “working on specific projects and collaborations.”
While primarily tasked with promoting and advancing the profile of the City Football Group, the job could also see Guardiola apply his knowledge and expertise to help with processes at the various teams in Asia, North America and the rest of Europe to identify, coach and develop talent.
Ultimately, that could benefit flagship club Manchester City in the long-term if players are deemed good enough to move to the Etihad—Savinho the biggest success story in that respect to date, having joined City from a fellow CFG club after being on loan with a third.
Who Are the City Football Group Clubs?
The 11 clubs that make up the City Football Group are spread all around the world, with some 100%-owned and operated, and others where CFG is a majority stakeholder or a minority investor.
The most famous examples of clubs outside Manchester City are New York City and Melbourne City, which were the first and second teams to be acquired once chief executive Ferran Soriano’s vision of a multi-club operation began to take shape in 2013.
The stable branched out into continental Europe in 2017 when CFG entered into a joint-ownership venture with Guardiola’s brother, Pere, to purchase Girona. French club Troyes was wholly bought in 2020, followed by former Serie A club Palermo in 2022.
Mumbai City is the only former member, leaving the group in 2025 after six years.
City Football Group Clubs
| Club | Country | Owned | Acquired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | England | 100% | 2008 |
| New York City | United States | 80% | 2013 |
| Melbourne City | Australia | 100% | 2014 |
| Yokohama F. Marinos | Japan | 20% | 2014 |
| Girona | Spain | 47% | 2017 |
| Monteviedo City Torque | Uruguay | 100% | 2017 |
| Shenzen Peng City | China | 47% | 2019 |
| Troyes | France | 100% | 2020 |
| Lommel | Belgium | 99% | 2020 |
| Palermo | Italy | 94.94% | 2022 |
| Esporte Clube Bahia | Brazil | 90% | 2023 |
Will Pep Guardiola Manage Another Team?
Even with confirmation of the CFG job, there is nothing to say Guardiola is done with being a manager.
For now, the 55-year-old would be expected to take at least a short break from day-to-day duties, but he could even remain involved with City Football Group once he returns to management as long as there are no conflicts of interest.
The easiest way to do that is to venture into international soccer, with Guardiola’s next ambition—something he spoke about as far back as 2018—believed to be leading a national team.
All kinds of different options might be open to him, from elite-level national teams like England or Italy, to developing soccer nations like United Arab Emirates, or even the United States.
