Riquelme throws ‘Members’ City’ in Real Madrid’s election challenge for Perez

Enrique Riquelme launched his presidential campaign for Real Madrid on Wednesday with promises of swimming pools, padel courts and a battle for the club’s soul, rather than several quick fixes to a two-year trophy drought.

The renewable energy magnate, who faced off against Florentino Perez in the first Real Madrid presidential election in two decades with a challenger, presented plans to transform the club’s Valdebebas training ground on the outskirts of the Spanish capital into “La Ciudad del Socio” – the members city.

The project, Riquelme said, would turn the area into a huge social center for Madrid’s members, with an exclusive hotel, swimming pools, a gym, tennis and padel courts, basketball courts, football pitches and activities designed to bring supporters closer to a club he said has drifted away from them.

The plans also include an arena for the Real Madrid basketball team, which would also serve as a concert venue, with a capacity of 15,000 spectators.

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Riquelme did not say how much the new development would cost or how the club would pay for it.

He also promised to cut membership fees by 50% and said he would make 10,000 season tickets available through a lottery, giving the club’s more than 100,000 members the chance to become season ticket holders through a draw rather than «remain on a waiting list for years».

His pitch directly contradicts a proposal by Perez last November to set up a subsidiary that would allow outside investors to buy a roughly 5% stake in the club, described in the text as the world’s most valuable football club.

Riquelme said he “strongly rejects” the plan and accused Perez of “wanting to privatize the club.”

Perez’s proposal has not yet gone through and would require members to approve a change to the club’s statutes at an extraordinary general meeting.

«In the 1950s, Real Madrid was a members’ club. The members felt like they were part of something. They knew they were in charge. Between 2004 and 2026, Real Madrid lost its essence and the members lost their club,» said Riquelme.

“This is one of the main reasons why I decided to take it a step further.”

Riquelme said the project had been in the works for years.

«Today is a very special day. There is no room for improvisation. We have been working on this project since 2021,» he said. «Real Madrid is a global club, but it belongs to its members. This is the basis of our project.»

Published on May 27, 2026