Juan Mata Joins San Diego FC as Owner Amid MLS Expansion

Juan Mata has made history by becoming the first active player to own a Major League Soccer (MLS) team. The former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder, currently playing for Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia’s A-League, announced his partnership with the new MLS franchise, San Diego FC. San Diego FC is set to compete in the Western Conference starting in 2025, following the award of an expansion slot in May 2023, which they secured over a competing bid from Las Vegas.

The delay of the team’s debut until 2025 meant Mata could not participate as a player. Following his release by Vissel Kobe in January, Mata joined Western Sydney Wanderers as a free agent in September. His investment in San Diego FC is a small shareholding, contrasting with David Beckham‘s MLS ownership, which was pre-etched in his LA Galaxy contract but only announced post-retirement.

San Diego FC is co-owned by British-Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, a Californian Native American tribe. They reportedly paid $500 million for the coveted expansion slot. Mansour, a former Conservative Party donor and treasurer, received a knighthood from UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in March and previously served as a transport minister in Egypt under President Hosni Mubarak. The Mansour Group, in 2021, acquired the Right to Dream education and sporting academy for $120 million, where Mata’s involvement began.

Right to Dream, a non-profit initiative founded in 1999 in Accra by former Manchester United scout Tom Vernon, is also a part of Mata’s Common Goal charity. Vernon is a founding partner of San Diego FC. The Right to Dream academy owns football clubs FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark and FC Masar in Egypt, expanding its influence and network further.

In a statement, Mata expressed, «Joining San Diego FC as a partner is an exciting opportunity to help build something truly special in a city and league that are experiencing incredible growth. The commitment of both this Club and Right to Dream to community impact, excellence, and a vision for long-term success aligns perfectly with my own values. I look forward to contributing my experience and passion for the game and working alongside everyone here to build a Club that inspires both on and off the pitch.»