Actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny have set the bar for celebrity soccer ownership as Wrexham AFC earned a double promotion over the past two years to rise from the fifth-tier National League to play in the third-tier English League One next season.
TV personalities Mark Consuelos and his wife, Kelly Ripa, have tasted success with their own Italian club, Campobasso, who also earned a double promotion over two seasons, moving from the fifth division to Serie C, Italy’s third tier of professional football, where they will begin play next season.
Now, Canadian entrepreneur Steve Nijjar, a former athlete and film actor himself, is on the verge of guiding his Spanish team, Racing Madrid FC, to a promotion or, at the very least, qualification to the prestigious Copa del Rey, Spain’s national cup competition, open to both professional and amateur clubs.
Nijjar acquired the assets of the once-dormant Spanish club in August of 2022. Founded in 1914, the club has a rich history, having competed with traditional city rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in its earliest years. But the club became insolvent and ceased operations in 1974. That is, until Nijjar revived the club almost two years ago.
Racing Madrid FC competes in Group 2 of the Preferente Madrid, the regional league of the city of Madrid, the sixth level overall, five notches below La Liga, the top tier of Spanish football. The club currently occupies fifth place in the standings as regular season play winds down this season. A fifth place finish or higher would see Racing Madrid earn a berth to next season’s Copa del Rey. A top two finish would mean automatic promotion to the Tercera Federación, the fifth tier of Spanish professional football.
Last year, in his first season in charge, Nijjar, CEO & Founder of Steve Nijjar Sports & Entertainment (SNSE), guided the club to an eighth place finish in the 18-team regional league. This season, promotion to the next level was the club’s primary objective. Nijjar brought in several established domestic players and a new coaching staff. When the club faltered in the early stages of the season, Nijjar made a coaching change and, almost immediately, Racing Madrid FC found its legs and began a steady rise to the top half of the league, crafting a 14-match unbeaten streak along the way.
“That unbeaten run speaks volumes of the new coaching staff,” stated Nijjar. “The players bought into the system and the team is playing a style that’s been my vision all along. It’s a delight to watch the progress Racing Madrid has made in just our second season of operation.
As is commonplace with other celebrity club ownership structures, Nijjar recently added a notable partner, Canadian comedian Russell Peters. The two men have been acquaintances for several years and they found a common interest in Racing Madrid.
“We’ve always had mutual respect for each other,” Nijjar told The Game Plan in a recent interview. “We understand the struggles we’ve had. We just know what we both went through to get to where we’re at. We’re both proud of one another. He’s a Canadian icon as far as I’m concerned.”
“My ambition is to rise up to the top echelon of Spanish football. So I hope Ryan Reynolds takes notice because we’re on track to achieve our own promotion”, Nijjar continued with a friendly nod to the Canadian actor/entrepreneur who has transformed Wrexham AFC since his takeover of that Welsh club in 2021.
In addition to operating the Spanish club under the SNSE banner, Nijjar is also being recognized here at home for his past achievements in Canadian soccer. He is part of the 2024 class of inductees to the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame. Nijjar, who previously owned and coached the Brampton Hitmen to a Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) championship, will be inducted this month, in the builder’s category, alongside five other local sports achievers, including Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Sheldon Keefe.
Along with his operation of the Spanish pro club, Nijjar continues to nurture young athletes toward professional soccer careers through his ownership stake in Titan Sportsplex Niagara, an indoor sports facility in the Niagara Region.
ADB Creative Consulting 