2026 Real Madrid CF presidential election
← 2025
June 7, 2026 (2026-06-07)
Registered ~95,000[1]
Turnout 33,555 (35.3%)
 
Candidate Florentino Pérez Enrique Riquelme
Running mate Eduardo Fernández de Blas
Pedro López Jiménez
Enrique Sánchez González
Enrique Pérez Rodríguez		 David Mesonero
Ángel Martín
F. Fernández Tapias Jr.
Popular vote 21,741 11,814
Percentage 65% 35%
President before election

Florentino Pérez

 Elected President

Florentino Pérez

The 2026 Real Madrid CF presidential election was held on 7 June 2026 to elect a president of the club until 2030.[2] On 12 May 2026, after the Board of Directors Meeting, the current president Florentino Pérez called for a new board of directors elections, following a trophy-less season for the club.[3] The disappointment was deepened by back-to-back seasons without a single La Liga, Copa del Rey, or Champions League title, a drought unprecedented since the period from 2008 to 2010.

These are expected to be the first contested elections since 2006, and the third in the 21st century.[4] On 21 May 2026, Spanish businessman Enrique Riquelme announced his candidacy.[4] Pérez launched his re-election campaign officially on 27 May.[5] During his campaign announcement, Pérez asserted that the opposition campaign was led by individuals from the administration of former president Ramón Calderón (2006–2009), referring to that era as the club's "darkest period."[6]

On 24 May, the candidacy of Riquelme was accepted.[7] Riquelme earlier ran in the 2021 elections, yet chose to withdraw promptly owing to narrow time limits and rigorous institutional mandates.[8]

Riquelme has clarified that the club is suffering from an economic crisis and there is an intention to sell club shares, thereby opening the door to privatization,[9][10] which he considers dangerous to the club’s identity, and that his election will prevent this; furthermore, the team's failure to win titles is due to Pérez focusing excessively on the European Super League, and had he been president, Barcelona would not have dared to carry out the Negreira "scandal". Riquelme also added that the club spends heavily on non-sporting activities, three times what any other club in Europe spends, questioning among other things, "Why do we spend 80 million dollars on financial consulting and third-party expenses?"[11] Riquelme stated his determination to revive the team’s Spanish identity through a strategic mission to boost Real Madrid's representation in the national team, re-establishing the club as a key feeder for La Roja.[12]

On 3 June, Riquelme revealed that Raúl would assume the position of Sporting Director, and Fernando Hierro would become Director of the Real Madrid academy, La Fábrica. On 5 June, Riquelme pledged to bring the German coach Jürgen Klopp, who he believes suits Real's status and ambitions.[13]

On 4 June, Florentino Perez pledged that if elected, José Mourinho will be Real Madrid coach,[14] as well as announcing that Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries would be his first signings.[15] Outside of that, he also promised that on Tuesday, 9 June, he would bid a club-record €150 million for a mystery player.[16]

Incumbent president Florentino Perez won the election with 21,741 votes, representing 65% of the turnout, while also winning all voting tables.[17]

Voting was conducted from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM within the Real Madrid City Basketball Pavilion.[2]

Results

Candidate Votes %
Florentino Pérez 21,741 64.79
Enrique Riquelme 11,814 35.21
Total 33,555 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 95,000 –
Source: [17]

References

  1. ^ Leveridge, Sam. "The Ultimate Guide To Real Madrid's 2026 Presidential Election". Forbes.
  2. ^ a b Ruiz, Marco; USA, AS (26 May 2026). "Real Madrid election scheduled confirmed: date and time of the presidential vote". AS USA.
  3. ^ Daily, The Chosun (25 May 2026). "Real Madrid Concludes Troubled Season Without Trophies". The Chosun Daily.
  4. ^ a b "Real Madrid elections on: Florentino Perez rival to run". 21 May 2026.
  5. ^ campaign, The Real Madrid president promised more superstar signings and a new era of dominance while launching his re-election. "Florentino Pérez Unveils Ambitious New Plan for Real Madrid's Future". beIN SPORTS.
  6. ^ "Ronaldo crowns Florentino Pérez: You'll always be the best".
  7. ^ "Real Madrid approve candidacy of Perez rival for upcoming election". 24 May 2026.
  8. ^ "Enrique Riquelme drops out of Real Madrid election". OneFootball. 12 May 2026.
  9. ^ read, Madrid Universal·2 min (31 May 2026). "Enrique Riquelme strongly objects to Perez's attempt to privatise the club: 'A red line'". Yahoo Sports.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Madrid, Managing (31 May 2026). "Enrique Riquelme Escalates Campaign With Direct Warning Over Real Madrid Ownership". Managing Madrid.
  11. ^ "Enrique Riquelme: "¿Las acusaciones de Florentino? Se cree el ladrón que todos son de su condición"".
  12. ^ "No Real Madrid players in the Spanish National Team: why is there talk again of "Spanishizing" the white club?". Demócrata. 26 May 2026.
  13. ^ Onyeagwara, Nnamdi; Cortegana, Mario (5 June 2026). "Enrique Riquelme says he will ask Jurgen Klopp to 'lead' Real Madrid if he wins election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  14. ^ "Real Madrid will bring Jose Mourinho back if Florentino Perez is re-elected". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  15. ^ Escribano, Javier (3 June 2026). "Denzel Dumfries will be announced as a new Real Madrid defender if Pérez wins the elections, says Fabrizio Romano". Gamereactor UK. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  16. ^ ""He's a superstar every bit as good as Cristiano Ronaldo!" Florentino Pérez is planning a €150 million mega-transfer for Real Madrid | Goal.com". www.goal.com. 5 June 2026. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  17. ^ a b "Official statement from the Electoral Board: the candidacy of Florentino Pérez wins the elections for President and Board of Directors of Real Madrid". Real Madrid CF. 7 June 2026.