FC Barcelona participates in the Financial Times' Business of Football Summit 2025
Over recent seasons, FC Barcelona have been surmounting a series of financial challenges and operations that have culminated in the Club’s financial situation improving considerably, with the 1:1 financial fair play rule finally achieved. The funding for Espai Barça also represents one of the institution’s most singular operations. The most important project in the Club’s history, it has a unique plan that is valued at 1.45 billion euro. This is just another example of the Club being fully focused on progressing its finances in a positive fashion.
The stadium was one of the main sources of business, and once the new Spotify Camp Nou is operational, an array of new incomes are forecast that will prove vital for ensuring the institution’s financial stability. Furthermore, this is all taking place in the knowledge that the Club being in good financial health also ensures another of the key objectives, that of maintaining the governance model while also having financial strength. Some of the details of the Club’s current financial strategy were outlined today during the Financial Times’ Business of Football Summit 2025, a two day event organised by the prestigious British newspaper.
FC Barcelona’s corporate director Manel del Rio explained how the Club tackled the refurbishment of the Spotify Camp Nou from a financial standpoint, and the role of investors in a project of such magnitude as Espai Barça. It’s worth recalling that throughout the approach used to structure funding for Espai Barça, one of the main ways to achieve the objective of generating new income was to offer suites and VIP seats, as well as new sponsorship contracts associated with the new stadium. All these details were shared during the “Commercial Partnerships – The drive for greater value” panel, moderated by Silvia Sciorilli, the Financial Times’ Milan Correspondent. The panel also featured Sporting Clube de Portugal Chief Strategy Officer André Bernardo, Newcastle United Chief Commercial Officer Peter Silverstone, and Two Circles Managing Director Annie Panter.
The value of sponsors beyond financial agreements
Sponsors and other commercial partners bring value beyond the simple financial aspects of an agreement. Manel del Rio stated that Spotify are a clear example, as they both have the Spotify Camp Nou naming rights and are a key companion along the journey, whereby football is combined with music and entertainment. He explained a different side to sponsorship by way of example, namely the collaborations with different artists who appear on the jerseys during each El Clásico match, raising the brand and the agreement to another level, increasing brand awareness.
This is a unique association, which personalises participants’ experiences, creating unique content and offering exclusive collaborations from artists with links to Barça’s global audience. Furthermore, it helps strengthen the emotional bond between fans and their involvement, while generating more income for the Club at the same time. The Spotify agreement is just one example, but there are also sustainability partners, with joint work taking place to promote sustainable mobility or via agreements between the Club and technological partners such as HPE.
New economic growth models in the football domain
The Business of Football Summit is a benchmark congress for the football sector and brings together leading investors, club and league executives, broadcasters, technological innovators, consultants, and other key stakeholders in the sector. The seventh edition of the event addressed all types of topics relating to football’s financial model, its competitive balance, as well as the financial growth opportunities within women’s football. The prestigious British newspaper the Financial Times brought together some of the leading investors, club and league executives, broadcasters, technological innovators, consultants, and other key stakeholders to address all these topics, among others.