Chicago House Athletic Club ("Chicago House"), a semi-professional football club based in Chicago, today announced its investment in Westfield FC, a historic English non-league football club currently competing in the eighth tier of the English football pyramid.
CHICAGO and LONDON, United Kingdom, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Chicago House Athletic Club ("Chicago House"), a semi-professional football club based in Chicago, today announced its investment in Westfield FC, a historic English non-league football club currently competing in the eighth tier of the English football pyramid.
The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for Westfield FC, which is set to compete this week in a promotion playoff match with the opportunity to advance to the seventh tier of English football—bringing the club one step closer to the professional ranks.
The investment marks the launch of Chicago House's cross-Atlantic football strategy, combining American capital, grassroots football, and a media-driven approach to building a club.
"We're not just investing in a club—we're investing in a moment," said Laurence Girard, co-founder of Chicago House AC. "Westfield is on the verge of promotion right now. That's where the story begins."
A Real-Time Football Story: Promotion on the Line
Founded in 1953, Westfield FC has spent decades embedded in the English non-league system.
Now, the club finds itself at a defining inflection point. After one of its strongest seasons, Westfield has earned a place in the promotion playoffs, with a chance to move up to the seventh tier of English football—a critical step in the long journey toward the English Football League.
Promotion in English football is entirely merit-based, making each step up the pyramid meaningful both competitively and financially.
"This is what makes English football unique," said Girard. "You can start at the bottom and climb. And right now, Westfield has a real opportunity to take the next step."
Chicago House: Building a Cross-Atlantic Football Platform
Chicago House Athletic Club was founded in 2020 with the ambition of building a new kind of American soccer organization—one that combines community ownership, entrepreneurial capital formation, and modern media. Originally launched as a professional club in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), Chicago House now competes in the Midwest Premier League while continuing to grow its brand and fanbase.
The club has already demonstrated its ability to compete above expectations, including a notable run in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against higher-level competition.
"Chicago House has always been about doing things differently and having a social impact," said Girard. "We're combining football, media, social impact, and capital formation in a way that hasn't really been done before at this level."
From Chicago to London: A Shared Vision
The investment in Westfield FC represents Chicago House's entry into the global football ecosystem.
Westfield, based in Woking, Surrey, just outside London, is a club with over 70 years of history and strong community roots.
"This isn't a startup club—we're investing in something with real history and the ability to get promoted through the ranks of English Football," said Girard. "But we believe it has significantly more upside with the right capital and long-term vision."
A Long-Term Ambition: Climbing the Pyramid
Chicago House's long-term vision is to help Westfield climb the English football pyramid over the next 10–20 years—with the aspiration of reaching the English Football League and potentially beyond.
The strategy draws inspiration from Welcome to Wrexham, but with a more grassroots and investor-driven approach.
"We're building a 'poor man's Welcome to Wrexham,'" said Girard. "Less Hollywood, more hustle."
Democratizing Football Ownership Through the JOBS Act
Chicago House is also pioneering a new ownership model.
By leveraging Regulation D Rule 506(c) under the JOBS Act, the club is able to publicly advertise investment opportunities—primarily through LinkedIn—while raising capital from accredited investors.
The investor base consists largely of everyday professionals—doctors, lawyers, accountants, technology employees, and business executives—many investing approximately $25,000, often through retirement accounts such as IRAs or 401(k)s.
Chicago House aims to build a network of several thousand investors and raise tens of millions of dollars over time to support its football operations—particularly accelerating Westfield FC's push up the English pyramid.
"Our investors aren't billionaires," said Girard. "They're people who love European football and want to actually own a piece of it—and be part of helping a club get promoted."
Football Meets Media: Podcast and Documentary Strategy
A central pillar of the strategy is storytelling.
Chicago House plans to launch a dedicated Westfield FC podcast, providing behind-the-scenes access to players, coaches, ownership, and the realities of competing in English non-league football.
In parallel, the organization is considering a long-form documentary series inspired by Welcome to Wrexham—focused on telling the story of Westfield FC's journey to an American audience of soccer fans and investors.
The goal is to bring viewers inside the club in real time—from promotion battles and player development to the operational and financial challenges of running a lower-division team.
"We think the story is just as important as the results," said Girard. "American investors love European football, but they've never really had access to the inside of a club like this. We plan to change that."
Building a Transatlantic Player Pipeline
As part of the partnership, Chicago House and Westfield FC plan to create a shared player development pathway, including summer training exchanges for youth players across both clubs.
About Chicago House Athletic Club
Chicago House Athletic Club is a semi-professional soccer club based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 2020, the club competes in the Midwest Premier League and focuses on community-driven ownership, player development, and sports media innovation. Chicago House's website is: https://www.chicagohouseac.com/
About Westfield FC
Westfield FC is a historic English semi-professional football club founded in 1953 and based in Woking, Surrey. The club competes in the eighth tier of English football and is currently competing for promotion to the seventh tier. Westfield FC's website is: https://www.westfield-fc.com/
Media Contact
Laurence Girard, Chicago House, 1 3475152417, [email protected], https://www.chicagohouseac.com/
SOURCE Chicago House
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