Victoire Cogevina Reynal, co-founder and co-CEO of the women’s soccer investment group Mercury13, has stepped down from her role, the company announced Wednesday.
The departure of Reynal, a prominent figure in the rapidly expanding world of women’s club soccer ownership, comes five months after Mercury13 acquired Bristol City Women of the English second tier in September 2025, a deal described as “pivotal” for the club’s future. Mercury13 was founded in 2023 and first entered the ownership space in March 2024 with the acquisition of Italian Serie A Femminile club FC Como Women.
Avenue Sports, Mercury13’s majority owner, will lead the group alongside board directors Todd Marcy, Brian Lasky, and former US women’s national team soccer player and sports investor Lauren Holiday. Holiday stated, “We are thankful to Victoire for her contribution to Mercury13’s growth. Mercury13 and its clubs are in a strong position to capitalize on the unique opportunities presented by the continued growth of women’s football.”
Reynal, an Argentine and American businesswoman, described her time at Mercury13 as “the privilege of my lifetime” in a statement posted on social media, adding that she believes the “game is in a better place” following the group’s investment. She co-founded the company with Venezuelan entrepreneur Mario Malave, with the stated intention of investing $100 million in European and Latin American women’s clubs.
Mercury13 has attracted investment from a range of high-profile figures, including Italian soccer legend Giorgio Chiellini, former Spain international Juan Mata, former England women’s international Eniola Aluko, former FIFA chief innovation officer Luis Vicente, and prominent UK businessman Sir Martin Broughton.
The group had previously attempted to acquire Lewes FC Women in 2023. Mercury13 has pledged to invest more than £80 million in acquiring and transforming women’s clubs globally, and had identified England as a key market for further expansion following its investment from The Avenue Sports Fund.
A process to identify a fresh chief executive is underway, with an update expected in due course.
