Fútbol Club Barcelona presidency vote day: Laporta vs Font as members cast ballots under debt pressure

fútbol club barcelona members are voting today for the club’s next president, with Joan Laporta and Víctor Font the two candidates on the ballot. The election day is unfolding in Barcelona as thousands of members head to vote, many doing so around the buildup to the Barcelona–Sevilla match. The stakes are high for a club described as weighed down by debt, while the campaigns have turned on Messi, the sporting structure around Deco, and the promise of stability.

Voting day unfolds as Laporta and Font fight for control

The club’s election day is live and active, with Laporta or Font set to be chosen as president once the voting process concludes. Laporta was seen casting his vote in a moment that quickly went viral, framed by the matchday atmosphere before Sevilla and a steady flow of members arriving at polling points.

Laporta, speaking emotionally, described the day as a civic act with members coming to vote while remembering family connections to the club. He also referenced visible construction cranes at the Spotify Camp Nou and said he had not seen anything like it in another vote. He added that he hopes the team beats Sevilla and said players would come to vote, citing a broader matchday atmosphere around the election.

In the stands and around the voting lines, the election has also carried a clear financial undertone. The membership base—described as more than 100, 000—has been called to choose leadership with the club “drowned in debt, ” intensifying scrutiny on what each candidate is promising and what can realistically be delivered.

Fútbol Club Barcelona campaign flashpoints: Messi, Deco, and the promise of stability

Lionel Messi’s name has been central to the campaign. Font has described Messi’s departure as “an open wound for all Barcelona supporters” and directly attributed responsibility to Laporta. Font has presented a proposal under the banner “Messi 2027: we repair the future, ” built on three pillars: a farewell to football in a Barcelona shirt, offering Messi an honorary presidency role, and linking the Barça brand with the Messi brand to generate revenue.

Laporta, for his part, has defended his record by saying that, despite the pain, he had no other option when Messi left, stressing that the club must be above players, directors, or presidents. The exchange has sharpened one of the day’s main questions for members: whether the next leadership should prioritize symbolic repair around Messi’s legacy, institutional restraint, or both.

Another core dispute is the role of sporting director and former Barcelona player Deco. Laporta has defended Deco’s work and positioned him among the best sporting directors in the club’s history, while Font has argued for professionalizing the sporting structure. Font’s proposal is a three-person sporting leadership group: analyst Carles Planchart, developer Albert Puig, and fitness coach Francesc Cos. Laporta responded bluntly to that comparison, calling it an insult to suggest those three know more than Deco.

Head coach Hansi Flick has been pulled into the debate as well. Flick has expressed support for Laporta during the campaign and has emphasized the importance of “stability, ” also saying he feels comfortable working closely with Deco. Font has praised Flick’s work since his arrival and has said Flick would remain coach if Font wins—while also stressing Flick is “an employee of FC Barcelona. ”

Immediate reactions from officials inside the club orbit

Deco, sporting director of FC Barcelona, rejected the idea of selling players as a guiding principle, saying the goal is to improve the team rather than weaken it. He said the plan is to recover players who were unavailable and incorporate new pieces gradually, arguing the club is on the right path and that the objective remains strengthening, not stripping the squad.

On the Messi question, Deco drew a clear line. “For me Leo is the best player in history and of course of this club, ” he said, adding that he will not enter the debate about whether Messi should return because, in his view, Messi is “above everything. ”

Bojan, speaking in the same election-day atmosphere, addressed accusations tied to Font and said he would explain matters directly if they cross paths, adding he is ready to give everything for the club he loves.

Quick context and what’s next

The campaigns have also touched on potential signings, but both sides have downplayed the usefulness of transfer talk mid-season. Julián Álvarez was mentioned by both candidates: Laporta said he likes the player but would not “break the bank, ” while Font called the discussion “selling smoke, ” noting Atlético de Madrid does not want to sell.

Once voting concludes today, attention will turn immediately to the declared winner and the first signals on sporting governance and finances. For fútbol club barcelona, the result will shape whether the club doubles down on Laporta’s continuity with Deco and Flick’s stability message, or pivots toward Font’s proposed restructuring and Messi-centered institutional promises.