The shares of Liga MX’s Club América, a spin-off from Mexico’s largest broadcaster, Televisa, experienced a significant surge of up to 200% in their market debut on Tuesday. The group, also known as Ollamani, encompasses Mexico’s current league champions Club América and their iconic Estadio Azteca. This represented a remarkable milestone for the football club and Televisa, consolidating their former betting business and publishing operations into a publicly traded entity.
Club América became the first of Liga MX’s clubs to enter the local stock market, joining a prestigious list of publicly traded football clubs worldwide. With notable clubs such as Manchester United, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, and Ajax among its peers, Club América’s move marked a significant development in the industry. The club boasts a rich history, with 14 championship wins and a home stadium – Estadio Azteca – that has a capacity of over 80,000 and has hosted two World Cup tournaments, including the memorable 1986 event where Diego Maradona scored his famous “Hand of God” goal against England.
The trading of shares in Club América and Estadio Azteca generated substantial interest, with prices reaching 34.50 pesos from an initial offering of 11.50 pesos. The rapid escalation in share value led to brief market trading suspensions as approximately 1.6 million shares exchanged hands. This debut signified a positive momentum for Mexico’s stock market, which had experienced a scarcity of new listings in recent years, prompting some companies to delist from the exchange. The enthusiasm surrounding the stock’s performance on the first day of trading was evident, with analysts closely monitoring its trajectory in the days to come.
As FIFA announced that Estadio Azteca would host the inaugural match of the 2026 World Cup, expectations are high for significant investments in the facility, potentially amounting to $150 million. This development could further enhance the stadium’s prestige and attract a broader audience for future events. Televisa’s decision to split its businesses, retaining control of its television arm while enabling Club América to operate independently, opened up possibilities for strategic partnerships and mergers within the industry. The spin-off constituted a 10% portion of Televisa’s overall revenues, with investors receiving one CPO title for each Televisa share they held, indicating a transition towards focused operations within each company.