Joan Laporta’s first major institutional decision in his passionate inauguration speech was to announce that an Assembly would be convened “soon” to inform members about the current status of the Espai Barça project. He positioned the new Spotify Camp Nou as one of the club’s central future pillars, stating that construction is progressing as planned and that the stadium will be key to increasing the club’s revenue.
“The Spotify Camp Nou works are going well. It is the home of the culers. It is the collective dream of Barça fans. It is growing to a capacity of 105,000 spectators. It will be a very important source of income. We will soon call an Assembly to explain the situation,” Laporta said during his speech.
As reported by Mundo Deportivo, the Assembly will also address the need to expand financing for Espai Barça. The project’s initial budget has experienced an estimated overrun of €300–400 million, so the club is considering requesting member approval to increase the credit line granted by Goldman Sachs—potentially by up to €500 million—to ensure completion of the entire project, including the stadium, its surrounding area, and the new Palau Blaugrana.
Laporta also defended FC Barcelona’s ownership model, describing it as one of the club’s defining features. “We have our ownership model, which is unquestionable. As president, I see myself as the guarantor of this model,” he stated.
He announced a comprehensive reform of the club’s statutes, which will be put to a member referendum. The aim is to modernize regulations while preserving Barça’s identity and ensuring member participation. “We are a global club that embraces freedom. We want to preserve the ownership model and guarantee member participation. We will carry out a statutory reform through a referendum,” he explained.
Another key message focused on Barça’s multi-sport identity. Laporta highlighted that the club has now reached “50 European Cups across all sections,” emphasizing its unique global sporting status. He praised the various departments for continuing to generate excitement among supporters and reaffirmed Barça’s ambition to remain a leading global sports institution.
He concluded by reaffirming the club’s identity and ambitions: “We continue to be the best sports club in the world, we continue to have sections that excite Barça fans, we continue to be more than a club. We will achieve all this with emotional stability. Barça will continue to be a respected club worldwide.”
