Juan Mata and Giorgio Chiellini Invest in Bristol City Women as Mercury13 Expands British Footprint

Juan Mata and Giorgio Chiellini havejoined Bristol City Women through the Mercury13 ownership group, becoming the latest high-profile investors in British football amid a wave of celebrity-backed club ties. The move follows Luka Modric’s minority stake purchase in Swansea City earlier this year and signals Mercury13’s push to expand its multi-club model in the women’s game and beyond.

Mata, 37, is currently playing in Australia for Melbourne Victory after a spell with the Western Sydney Wanderers, with much of his previous season spent on the bench. He has joined Mercury13, a group that already owns a majority stake in Como FC’s women’s team. Mata’s involvement adds a high-profile European name to Bristol City Women’s ownership, where he and Chiellini are part of the majority stake now held by the Mercury13 consortium. Chiellini, who retired from professional football three years ago after two seasons with Los Angeles FC, has been an investor since last September. The two players are accustomed to rivalries on the pitch but will take on an ownership role off it, as part of Mercury13’s efforts to build a multi-club network across the women’s game and beyond.

The Times reported that the stake purchased from Steve Lansdown and his Bristol Sport Group is “significant,” and Mata and Chiellini are expected to be active at Ashton Gate over the season. Co-founder Victoire Cogevina Reynal said the pair would attend some matches and play a hands-on role in the Bristol City project, noting they have been collaborative behind the scenes for Como and are likely to apply the same approach with Bristol City. Cogevina Reynal added that Mata and Chiellini are “incredible footballers, but they’re also incredible human beings who truly believe in what we’re building.”

Mercury13’s expanded footprint in women’s football is part of a broader push to invest in the women’s game. The group has outlined plans to invest about £73 million into women’s football, with Bristol City set to benefit as it competes for top signings alongside other multi-club outfits such as London City Lionesses. London City Lionesses are owned by Michelle Kang, who also runs Washington Spirit and Olympique Lyonnais’ women’s side, illustrating the cross-border ambitions of multi-club ownership.

The deal at Bristol City Women follows Mercury13’s earlier moves in the market. Since purchasing Como’s women’s team in March 2024, the lakeside club has pursued high-profile signings, including Alisha Lehmann, one of the game’s most recognizable players. Mata’s involvement and the overall Mercury13 strategy are seen as ways to attract marquee talents to Bristol City Women and to bolster the club’s on-field competitiveness in the Women’s Super League 2. Chiellini’s long-standing reputation, coupled with Mata’s international experience, could help raise the profile of Bristol City Women and support their growth within a multi-club framework.

In the broader landscape, the move sits among a growing trend of former players entering club ownership. Modric’s investment in Swansea City in April 2025, along with his real estate purchases in the area, underscores a commitment to integrating football ventures with personal stake in the communities surrounding the clubs. Mata and Chiellini’s partnership with Mercury13 at Bristol City Women reinforces the era of celebrity-backed ownership schemes aimed at expanding resources and attracting top talent to women’s football.

The Bristol City Women deal also highlights the evolving structure of ownership within the Women’s Championship and its feeder leagues. By aligning with Mercury13, the club gains access to a network that spans men’s and women’s teams across multiple countries, potentially facilitating cross-club loan agreements, scouting, and signing opportunities that were less common in the past. While details of the financial arrangement and day-to-day governance have not been disclosed publicly, officials indicated that the investment represents a meaningful stake in the club’s long-term development and competitive positioning in the Women’s Super League 2.

The announcement did not specify an immediate timetable for transfers or strategic moves at Bristol City Women, but insiders described the ownership group as committed to building a sustainable competitive model. Mata and Chiellini are expected to participate in events and initiatives tied to the club, with Mercury13 signaling its intent to maintain a hands-on approach across its portfolio. As Bristol City Women pursue higher leagues and stronger signings, industry observers will watch how the involvement of prominent players-turned-owners influences recruitment, fan engagement, and the club’s overall growth trajectory within the Women’s game.