Laporta vs Font: Barcelona presidency battle officially begins
FC Barcelona is preparing for a decisive leadership vote that will determine who guides the club in the coming years. The election campaign begins this week after the club confirmed the final two candidates eligible to stand for president.
Final candidates confirmed
According to the official website of FC Barcelona, the club’s Electoral Board has confirmed Joan Laporta and Víctor Font as the official candidates in the presidential election scheduled for 15 March.
The confirmation came after the board completed the verification of the support signatures submitted by potential candidates seeking to enter the race.
Under the club’s statutes, each candidate was required to gather at least 2,337 valid signatures from registered club members in order to qualify for the ballot.
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Laporta submitted 8,170 signatures, of which 7,226 were validated by the Electoral Board. Font submitted 5,144 signatures, with 4,440 confirmed as valid after the verification process.
Ciria falls short after verification
A third potential candidate, Marc Ciria, also attempted to enter the race but failed to meet the required threshold after the signatures were reviewed.
Ciria presented 2,845 signatures, but only 2,247 were deemed valid following verification, leaving him below the minimum number needed to stand in the election.
According to FC Barcelona, the verification process and final announcement were carried out during a meeting of the Electoral Board at the Auditori 1899 inside Spotify Camp Nou.
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Club officials also thanked staff members, handwriting experts and member auditors who participated in reviewing the submitted signatures during the validation period.
Different visions for the club
The election will present FC Barcelona members with two candidates who have very different backgrounds and leadership approaches.
Joan Laporta is a Spanish lawyer, businessman and political figure who has already served two terms as Barcelona president, from 2003 to 2010 and again from 2021 to 2026. During his first presidency the club experienced one of the most successful periods in its history, including the 2009 season when Barcelona won six major trophies.
Víctor Font is a Catalan entrepreneur and business consultant who is best known for his work in the corporate sector. He has previously run as an opposition candidate in Barcelona elections and has built his campaign around proposals for structural reforms at the club.
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The two candidates also differ in leadership style and vision for the club’s future.
Laporta is widely viewed as a charismatic and politically experienced leader who supports continuity in the club’s sporting project and management structure. His approach focuses on maintaining stability and competitiveness at the top level of European football.
Font, by contrast, promotes a more technocratic and corporate style of management. He has argued for significant reforms to the club’s governance and financial structure, proposing a more strategic and business oriented model for running FC Barcelona.
How members will cast their votes
More than 114,504 eligible members will be able to take part in the election that will determine the club’s next president.
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According to FC Barcelona, the campaign period begins on 6 March and will run until the day of voting on 15 March.
To encourage participation, the club will establish five polling stations located in Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona, Lleida and Andorra la Vella.
Members will be allowed to vote at any of the polling stations regardless of where they live, as the club uses a universal electoral roll.
Polling stations will open at 9am CET and close at 9pm CET on election day.
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Sources: FC Barcelona official website
