Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez says the club is thinking about setting up a new company that would allow outside investors to buy roughly 5% of the world’s most valuable football club. He explained this idea to the club’s members during their annual meeting and said they would soon vote on it at a special assembly.
Pérez stressed that Real Madrid will continue to be owned by its members, and that being a member will now “have a real and tangible value.” He said any investor must respect the club’s values and help protect it from outside threats.
The move comes after private investment firms have become more involved in football. Only this month, US fund Apollo bought a majority stake in rivals Atlético Madrid. Pérez said Real Madrid must adapt in order to compete with clubs backed by billionaires, states or private equity, such as PSG, Manchester City and Chelsea.
Real Madrid earned more than €1 billion in revenue last season, the only club in the world to do so, and reported €24.3 million in profit. Forbes values the club at $6.75 billion, the highest in football.
Despite their huge financial power, Pérez believes the membership model still limits them when competing in the transfer market. He has repeatedly argued that a European Super League would help the club stay competitive.
Real Madrid will need to hold an extraordinary meeting to approve any changes to its statutes. The club already has financial deals with private firms, including a 2022 agreement with Sixth Street worth €360 million in exchange for rights to develop new businesses tied to the Santiago Bernabéu.
