Florentino Perez, the current President of Real Madrid, has indicated that he will initiate a referendum concerning the club’s ownership structure, provided he secures victory in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for next Sunday. Currently, Real Madrid is a member-owned entity. However, Perez is advocating for a transformation of this model, suggesting a conversion to a shareholder-based system.
Following earlier suggestions in 2024 about a potential change to “protect Real Madrid’s interests,” Perez elaborated last year on his plan to transition current club members into shareholders. This would involve selling approximately 5% of the club’s shares. While Perez has not extensively detailed the motivations beyond “protecting the club” and ensuring it remains member-owned, this proposed change could generate significant revenue, estimated in the hundreds of millions, but would also introduce private interests focused on profitability into the club’s operations.
Florentino Perez Confirms Referendum
In a recent interview with El Pais, Perez confirmed that if he receives a mandate from the club’s members in the elections, where Enrique Riquelme is his sole opponent, he will promptly call for a referendum on the club’s existing ownership model. Given the profound nature of this proposed shift – Real Madrid has been the property of its members since its founding – any decision would require approval by a majority vote.
When questioned about the possibility of selling further shares, Perez stated:
“Whatever the members wish, and always through a referendum. However, this 5% will not be involved in decision-making. One could argue it would be more about image, associating with a brand like Real Madrid. But the remaining 95% and the members will continue to be in charge. I will not rest until I ensure that the club’s patrimony belongs to the members.”
“Someone who arrives with no money, who secures a line of credit to buy Madrid, that will not happen. The other candidacy (Riquelme) represents a syndicate of interests, those who attended the General Assemblies and voted without being members. Immediately after the elections, I intend to convene an assembly of delegate members to conduct the referendum.”
Perez’s Suggestion for Share Transferability
Perez’s proposal outlines that members would not be able to freely sell their shares. Instead, they would have the option to nominate a member to whom they could transfer their shares. This transfer would ideally be to a family member, but if that were not feasible, they could designate a child of another family member. This measure is intended to prevent Real Madrid from falling under foreign influence.
