Joan Laporta has been decisively re-elected as the president of FC Barcelona, securing a new five-year term after a convincing win against challenger Victor Font in Sunday’s club elections.
The result was a repeat of the 2021 election, with Laporta once again defeating Font by a large margin. According to official results, Laporta received 32,934 votes from the club’s members, known as socios. Font trailed significantly with 14,385 votes. A total of 48,480 votes were cast, which included 984 blank votes and 177 that were declared void.
The election saw a turnout of 42.34% of the club’s 114,504 eligible voters.
Voting took place at several polling stations, with the main hub being Spotify Camp Nou. A notable number of current and former figures from the club came to cast their ballots, including men’s first team coach Hansi Flick and several players.
Sunday was a particularly eventful day at the stadium. The men’s team had just secured a 5-2 victory over Sevilla in LaLiga, and afterwards, coach Flick and players such as Raphinha, Pedri, and Dani Olmo submitted their votes. Speaking shortly before the match, Flick commented on the day’s voting. “It’s a special day,” he told reporters. “I saw it on the television in my office in the stadium, the election going on, it’s special. I think also everyone is happy, it was a great day.”
However, there was an awkward moment for goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is currently on loan at Girona. He was unable to vote because his name was not on the electoral register.
While all Barcelona players are automatically made members when they join, they are responsible for keeping their membership details up to date, a step the German international had not taken.
Other notable figures who voted included former men’s coach Xavi Hernández and ex-midfielder Sergio Busquets. Several players from the women’s team, including injured stars Aitana Bonmatí and Laia Aleixandri, also took part, though many of their teammates were unable to vote as they were playing an away match.
This victory marks the beginning of Laporta’s second consecutive term and his overall second spell as president. He first led the club from 2003 to 2010, a golden era that saw the appointment of Pep Guardiola and the team’s first Treble in 2009. He returned to the role in 2021, taking over from Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Since his return, the club has enjoyed success, including two LaLiga titles for the men’s team and three Champions League trophies for the women’s team.
Laporta’s re-election campaign was heavily bolstered by the men’s team’s recent performances under coach Hansi Flick. Last season, Flick guided the team to a domestic treble and a Champions League semi-final, and they remain strong contenders in both competitions this year.
In addition to on-field matters, Laporta has overseen the ongoing renovation of Spotify Camp Nou. A major achievement which was reached on Sunday, with the first two tiers of the renovated stadium fully operational for the Sevilla match. This increased the capacity to more than 60,000 as construction continues on the third tier.
Font had campaigned on a platform of change, arguing that the club’s financial situation has not improved under Laporta, that the return to the renovated stadium has faced repeated delays, and criticizing the president’s handling of Lionel Messi’s departure. However, the socios ultimately decided to give Laporta another five years to continue his project.