{
  "id": 7550201,
  "title": "Former Chelsea star Juan Mata reveals bid to sway Fifa presidential election",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/former-chelsea-star-juan-mata-reveals-bid-to-sway-fifa-presidential",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-15T11:51:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/former-chelsea-star-juan-mata-reveals-bid-to-sway-fifa-presidential-election/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Chelsea and Manchester United footballer Juan Mata has announced his intention to run in next year's Fifa presidential election. Mata has established Unleash Football, a platform for fans and players to voice their opinions on how the sport should be managed, and intends to share these insights with current Fifa leader Gianni Infantino and any candidates who may challenge him. This comes as there's growing demand for reforms in the World Football Body following a plan to partially privatize the World Cup, which failed. Mata, a World Cup winner representing Spain, said, \"Football has shaped my life, first as a supporter and then as a player, and the people who care most deeply about the game should have an equal voice in its future.\" The Unleash Football findings will be compiled into a set of fan and player priorities, called a Mandate, to be unveiled in November, just before nominations close for the presidential election. Unleash Football, co-founded by Mata and Jurgen Griesbeck, will present the candidates' responses. Current Fifa boss Infantino is expected to run unopposed in March next year, with Canadian Victor Montagliani, head of the North American and Caribbean confederation, being the most likely challenger. Griesbeck stated, \"Football is much bigger than the football industry. It includes everyone who plays, loves or watches the game, whether they have a formal connection to a club or none at all – and its future should be built with those people, not just for them.\" \"This is about unlocking 100 per cent of football – connecting the billions who give the game their time and their passion, who make football football, with the people who make its decisions, and seeing what becomes possible when they are part of the same conversation.\"",
  "summary": "Former Chelsea and Manchester United star Juan Mata has launched a bid to influence next year’s Fifa presidential election. Mata has helped to create Unleash Football, a platform for fans and players to share how they want the sport to be run, and plans to present the findings to current Fifa boss Gianni Infantino and [...]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}