Billionaire Michele Kang Commits $55 Million to Research and Youth Development in Women’s Football

Michele Kang, A billionaire sports organisation owner, has formalised one of the largest private investments in women’s sport, pledging USD55 million (AUD83 million) to establish the Kang Women’s Institute and fund grassroots development program.

The commitment is carefully split, with USD25 million (AUD37 million) directed towards the new institute, which operates within U.S. Soccer’s Soccer Forward foundation, and a significant usd30 million (AUD45 million) earmarked specifically for youth sports, coaching development, and player pathways.

For Michele Kang, who made her fortune in healthcare IT, this is both a social mission and a clear business imperative.

She views the funding as “seed capital” designed to foster a sustainable ecosystem.

“We have to make sure that we invest in really showing the clear path,” Kang stated, framing the investment as essential to creating a professional infrastructure that encourages young girls to aspire to careers in football.

The commercial and strategy behind the investment is directly tackling the widely cited research gap, where only six per cent of global sports science focuses on women.

By creating a dedicated research hub, the initiative aims to professionalise training standards and reduce injury rates, a costly burden for clubs, by developing evidence-based protocols across areas like ACL injury recovery, performance factors tied to menstrual cycles, and postpartum return-to-play.

The goal is to move beyond the current practice of treating female athletes as “small men,” as highlighted by U.S. Women’s National Team coach and advisor Emma Hayes.

Of key commercial relevance is the $30 million (AUD45 million) allocation for youth and coaching program. This funding targets the critical challenges in youth sports, particularly the drop-off of girls around age 12.

By establishing research-backed standards for coaching certification and developing tools to handle body confidence and physiological challenges, the investment aims to secure the future pipeline of talent for professional leagues, ensuring American clubs like Kang’s Washington Spirit, London City Lionesses, and OL Lyonnes retain elite players who might otherwise seek opportunities in Europe.

The organisation’s collaboration with the NWSL and USL to co-create these standards means that data generated by the Institute will quickly translate into tangible operational frameworks for youth soccer organisations across the country.

This systemic approach is set to reshape grassroots player health and development program, leveraging the USD55 million (AUD83 million) commitment to turn scientific equity into a competitive advantage for the entire women’s game.

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