Laporta re‑elected; Barca roar
Joan Laporta was re‑elected Barcelona president with over 68% of the vote — marking his fourth term and signalling leadership continuity at the club. On the pitch, Barcelona called their 7‑2 Champions League win over Newcastle the 'best moment of March' after the result sealed a UCL quarterfinal spot, and club membership now sits at 150,077 socios. (predictions.xpertstats.com) (fcbarcelona.com) (mundodeportivo.com)
Joan Laporta received 32,934 votes while challenger Víctor Font collected 14,385, with 48,480 ballots cast and a turnout of 42.34%; 984 ballots were left blank and 177 were declared void. (fcbarcelona.com) Laporta’s raw total of 32,934 votes is the second‑highest tally in club election history, behind Sandro Rosell’s 35,021 votes in 2010. (catalannews.com) The club is in a formal cohabitation period: interim president Rafa Yuste chaired the first post‑election board meeting where the 2026–27 budget, preseason friendly options and ongoing sponsorship negotiations were discussed; the newly‑elected president is scheduled to take office on July 1, 2026. (mundodeportivo.com) (fcbarcelona.com) Completing Espai Barça — finishing the Camp Nou renovation and the new Palau Blaugrana — and securing financing and commercial deals were listed by club sources as the principal projects awaiting the incoming board. (catalannews.com) The Champions League second‑leg at the Spotify Camp Nou took place on March 18, 2026 with an official attendance of 56,662; Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski each scored twice and the tie finished 8–3 on aggregate, sending Barça into the quarterfinals. (fcbarcelona.com) Membership growth has been notable: the club registered a record 10,619 new members in 2024–25 and crossed the 140,000 mark earlier, a rise that the board noted even as season‑ticket availability at the stadium fell from around 85% to roughly 55% during the transition to the renovated venue. (fcbarcelona.com) (elpais.com)
