In the minds of its (financially strapped) Ligue 1 rivals, Paris St. Germain's investment of more than $300 million in the likes of Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic is an attempt to buy the French title.

PSG is also investing in women's soccer. Its budget of $5.7 million is a fraction of the money it is spending on its men's team, but it will make it a serious competitor in the French women's league dominated by two-time European champion Lyon. PSG's offseason women's signings included U.S. U-20 star Lindsay Horan (currently injured), Costa Rican Shirley Cruz and Germans Linda Bresonik and Annike Krahn.

Jean-Michel Aulas, president of Lyon, told L'Equipe he expects PSG, backed by the Qatar Investment Authority, to launch a bid to sign several U.S. stars, most notably former Lyon goalie Hope Solo, when the winter transfer window opens.

One of PSG's sponsors is BeIN SPORT, which is also owned by the Qatar Investment Authority's Al-Jazeera, and was launched in France two months before making its debut in the United States. CEO Jean-Claude Blanc said PSG's women's team could be the "spearhead" in the club's bid to make a name for itself on the American market.