The president meets with hundreds of members in Girona and outlines the main pillars of the “Defensem el Barça” candidacy
Girona, February 18, 2026 – Joan Laporta met today with hundreds of club members in the city of Girona, specifically at the Auditori Viader of the Casa de Cultura, to present the “Defensem el Barça” candidacy and his intention to be re-elected by the members in order to consolidate the path of recovery, stabilization, and growth that began in 2021. After a term focused on reversing a “critical” financial situation and restoring stability in the Club’s social, sporting, and institutional spheres, Laporta asked for the members’ support to complete the project and “keep winning.”
A step forward in the economic sphere
The economic proposal for the new term centers on definitively consolidating the Club’s financial model, following parameters of financial discipline and economic solvency, “while maintaining institutional, social, and sporting principles that are essential beyond the business sphere.” The reduction of debt, the increase in commercial revenues, and the improvement of strategic contracts have laid the foundations for a more competitive Club that is less economically vulnerable. The gradual return to the new Spotify Camp Nou, he noted, “has been a turning point” in this regard. The renovated stadium not only symbolizes the modernization of the institution but will also act as a driver of future revenue generation, strengthening the Club’s financial capacity. Laporta described the decision to build a new stadium in 2021, at a difficult moment for the entity, as “brave.”
Competing to win, with Barça DNA
On the sporting front, the project aims to continue promoting a structure that combines young players developed at La Masia with players from other countries—a formula that, under his mandates, has always worked. The objective, therefore, is to maintain teams capable of competing for all titles with a recognizable identity faithful to the Club’s tradition. The candidacy also highlights the importance of women’s football, “a source of pride for all Barça supporters,” as well as the professional sections as an expression of a unique multi-sport model that broadens Barça’s social and international impact.
More than management: model and commitment
Laporta placed at the heart of his project the defense of the Club’s associative and democratic ownership model, stating that under his leadership FC Barcelona will continue to be owned by its members, thereby safeguarding its independence and identity. The candidacy advocates for a Club closely connected to the country’s reality and committed to its culture, while also maintaining a universal outlook. This new stage is conceived with a dual focus: consolidating what has been rebuilt over the past five years and accelerating growth in an increasingly competitive global context.
A call to the future
The candidacy led by Joan Laporta appeals to the “experience, determination, and confidence” of his team to face the challenges awaiting Barça in the coming years. The message is clear: “the key moment Barça is experiencing cannot be led by proposals that generate uncertainty or lack experience.” Laporta invited the members gathered in Girona to “complete together” the Club’s transformation and to open a new era of success that will place Barça, stronger than ever, at the top of international football.