Enrique Riquelme officially launched his presidential campaign for Real Madrid on May 27, 2026, promising to transform the club's Valdebebas training ground into "La Ciudad del Socio" (The Members' City), a social complex for club members featuring swimming pools, padel, tennis, and basketball courts, football pitches, a gym, and an exclusive hotel [1, 2, 3]. The plan also includes a 15,000-capacity arena to serve as a basketball venue and concert hall [1, 2, 3].
Riquelme pledged to halve membership fees and introduce a lottery system that would allocate 10,000 season tickets to members, allowing greater access without long waitlists [1, 2, 3]. He accused incumbent president Florentino Perez, 79, of attempting to privatize the club by proposing a subsidiary that would allow outside investors to buy up to 5% of Real Madrid’s equity—a move Riquelme strongly opposes [1, 2, 3]. Riquelme said, "I vehemently reject [Perez's proposal to allow outside investors] and accuse Perez of wanting to privatise the club" [1].
Riquelme, 37, has been developing the Members' City project since 2021, aiming to restore the connection between Real Madrid and its more than 100,000 club members [1, 3]. He said, "In the 1950s, Real Madrid was a members' club. The members felt they were part of something. They knew they were the ones in charge. Between 2004 and 2026, Real Madrid lost its essence, and the members lost their club" [1]. He added, "Real Madrid is a global club, but it belongs to its members. This is the foundation of our project" [3].
Perez’s plan to admit outside investors requires approval through a change in club statutes at an extraordinary general meeting [1, 2, 3]. The upcoming election marks the first challenge to Perez, who has served as president since 2009 and previously from 2000 to 2006 [1, 2, 3].
Riquelme did not disclose costs or financing details for the Members' City development [1, 2, 3]. The Real Madrid presidential election is now underway, with the outcome expected to shape the club’s direction in the coming years.
