Jamie Vardy will be watching on TV as Rochester New York FC play their first competitive match

Jamie Vardy will be watching nervously in front of his television on Saturday night as the club he co-owns play their first competitive match under his guidance.

Following David Beckham into club ownership in the US, the Leicester forward bought a minority stake last year in US club Rochester New York FC, who begin life MLS Next Pro – a new feeder league for Major League Soccer – with an away game against St Louis, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The match represents a tough test for Rochester, against one of the strongest teams in the competition. 

The Leicester forward took a minority stake in Rochester New York FC last year

Of the 21 teams in the league, 20 will have direct links to MLS club, with Vardy’s Rochester the only independent one.

Former Doncaster midfielder Ed Williams is part of a squad with a strong international flavour coached by Bruno Baltazar, who worked with Sabri Lamouchi during the Frenchman’s spell at Nottingham Forest from 2019-20.

Vardy plans to link up with the team in person during the off-season in England, as he focuses on trying to regain fitness for Leicester’s end to the season.

Vardy has followed David Beckham (right), who is owner at Inter Miami, into football ownership

Vardy (pictured, left) plans to link up with the team in person during the off-season

When the move was announced last June, Vardy said: ‘I can’t thank Leicester enough for allowing me to do this. 

‘They know, and I know, that it will not in any way distract me from my priority, which is helping Leicester to be successful, and scoring goals in the Premier League for many more years to come.’

Current owner David and Wendy Dworkin are also part-owners of NBA franchise Sacramento Kings. 

Though the exact sum invested by Vardy is unclear, it is described as a ‘meaningful share’. 

The new club is a rebranded version of Rochester Rhinos, who had not competed since 2017 due to lack of funding.