Real Madrid News
Enrique Riquelme notifies Real Madrid that he will run in the presidential elections
Enrique Riquelme has taken the first step toward standing in the Real Madrid presidential elections after Florentino Perez unexpectedly called the elections.
According to AS, the businessman, president and owner of 75% of Grupo Cox Energy, informed the Electoral Board this Thursday that he intends to run in the elections.
Riquelme serious
The electoral rules, established by the Electoral Board, stated that any candidate had to inform the Board of their intention to run at least 48 hours in advance before the deadline for submitting candidacies, which was May 23.
In this way, Enrique Riquelme is using almost the entire period that had been opened for the submission of candidacies. He now has until Saturday to officially present his candidacy.
This is only a first step. Riquelme and his team continue to work against the clock to finalize a project capable of exciting the club members and competing against Florentino Perez.
Now, the Electoral Board is waiting for Riquelme to present the requirements. Among these requirements, two stand out due to their particular difficulty. First, the guarantee of 15% of the club’s budget, which amounts to €187 million from a total budget of €1.2 billion.
Second, assembling a board of at least nine people, including a vice president with at least 15 consecutive years of club membership and the remaining members having at least ten years of uninterrupted membership.
There is still no official confirmation, but several names that could accompany Enrique Riquelme on his board in this first attempt to become Real Madrid president have already emerged.
Riquelme’s letter to the Electoral Board
In his letter to the Electoral Board, Riquelme stated that the candidacy meets the requirements established in the Club Statutes and current electoral rules in order to hold such a position.
“My objective is to present a project for the Real Madrid of the future, one that excites all Madridistas and especially focuses on once again placing the members at the centre of a new cycle, guaranteeing that they will always remain the sole and true owners of the greatest football club in the world.”
If the two candidacies are approved and the elections take place, they would likely be held around Sunday, June 7.
La Liga released the salary limits of all 20 clubs yesterday and, rather unsurprisingly, Real Madrid were once again the club with the highest limit.
Los Blancos saw their salary cap increase to €832.8 million, underlining the exceptionally strong financial position they continue to occupy.
Now, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo, La Liga corporate director Javier Gomez explained the mechanism under which Madrid saw their salary limit increase.
La Liga explains Madrid’s increase
Gomez explained that the increase comes from a rule available to financially healthy clubs that meet the required economic ratios.
“It is normal. Under the regulations, certain clubs that meet specific ratios and have healthy accounts can use savings accumulated from previous years to increase their limit,” Gomez said.
That explanation is important because Madrid’s increased spending capacity is directly connected to the club’s financial position rather than an exceptional concession from La Liga.
“They can request an increase of up to 25% and they use it. One thing is requesting it and another is actually using it,” he added.
Madrid rewarded for healthy finances
For Real Madrid, the key phrase is “healthy accounts.”
La Liga’s system effectively allows qualifying clubs to make use of financial strength built up in previous seasons.
Madrid have therefore been able to convert accumulated savings into greater flexibility within their squad cost limit.
That does not mean the club must spend everything available to them. As Gomez stressed, being authorised to increase the limit and actually using that entire capacity are two different things.
It nevertheless leaves Madrid with considerable room when planning contracts, renewals and future transfer windows.
Financial strength gives Madrid options
Los Blancos made several marquee signings this summer who would definitely have arrived with significant contract demands.
More importantly, the club committed a lot of money to the renewal of Vinicius Jr. back in the summer.
Since the close of the transfer window, the club have turned their attention to renewing the contracts of their other superstars.
It has been revealed that Madrid have effectively agreed a contract renewal with shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois.
Los Blancos are also accelerating talks to renew Jude Bellingham’s contract before English clubs enter the scene.
Madrid’s strong financial position is allowing them to position themselves aggressively when it comes to securing the future of the squad.
Having the option is valuable, and it remains to be seen how the club use it.
Mandla
May 21, 2026 at 8:00 pm
Very exciting and defining moment for the leadership of the Club. We hope to have peaceful and fruitful elections.