The start of the billion-euro era: Barcelona detonate a financial bombshell with the biggest budget in their history

Barcelona closed the 2025-2026 financial year with record operating income of 1.06 billion euros, beating the previous season's 994 million euros. The figure fell just short of the budgeted forecast of 1.075 billion euros, according to "Mundo Deportivo".

On the balance sheet, the club posted a profit from ordinary operations of 0.2 million euros. Non-recurring items then tipped the scales. Barcelona ran up a loss of 14 million euros before tax, and corporate tax of 4 million euros pushed the net loss to 18 million euros.

According to the club, that loss could have been wiped out and the result turned positive had they sold any player before 30 June 2026.

The statement attributed the details of the exceptional items to two main factors:

First: the introduction of Personal Seat Licences (PSL) for VIP seats at the Spotify Camp Nou stadium, with an updated value of 9.5 million euros, through New Era Visionary Group and Forta Advisers.

Second: the decline in the value of "Barça Produccions". The club recorded 23 million euros as exceptional pre-tax expenses, taking the total decline to 116 million euros.

Barcelona currently retain a stake estimated at 73 million euros. Their total percentage has risen from 53.4% to 63.14% in return for writing off the debt and setting a new repayment schedule for the remaining stake of one of the partners.

The big surprise came in next season's budget. The club built its 2026-2027 projections on the assumption that every match would be played at a full-capacity Spotify Camp Nou, with a further capacity expansion pencilled in for the first half of 2027.

Barcelona expect operating income to hit an unprecedented 1.195 billion euros, banking one million euros in profit from ordinary operations and another million as final net income. The club anticipate no exceptional operations.

In a message of reassurance to the club's members and to La Liga, Barcelona confirmed that sporting costs (wages plus amortisation) will remain within the safe zone.

The wage bill will reach 636 million euros out of a total budget of 1.195 billion. That's just 53% of revenues, close to the 54% recorded last season (571 million euros).

Higher total revenues will let the club absorb the expected wage increases for key players after renewing their contracts, while also strengthening other departments such as the basketball team. Barcelona officially begin the era of 1.25 billion euros from the heart of the new Camp Nou.

Click here to read article