Pérez Re-Elected President
Florentino Pérez Secures Real Madrid Presidency with Convincing Election Victory
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Florentino Pérez won re-election as president of Real Madrid on Sunday, June 7, beating his only rival by a wide margin. RTVE and EFE reported that Pérez defeated challenger Enrique Riquelme, securing roughly 65–69% of the vote against Riquelme's 33–35%.
The victory extends Pérez's hold on the club's presidency until 2030 — a total of 24 years in power across two stints. In his victory speech, he promised the return of José Mourinho as manager and at least one major summer signing worth 150 million euros. COPE reported he told supporters: "El Real Madrid seguirá siendo de sus socios."
First Contested Vote in 20 Years Draws Huge Interest
This was the first time since 2006 that Pérez faced a rival on the ballot. Since returning to power in 2009, he had won every re-election vote unopposed — in 2013, 2017, 2021, and 2025. About 95,000 eligible club members could vote. Polling stations opened at 09:00 at the Basketball Pavilion in Ciudad Real Madrid and closed at 20:00.
Riquelme, a 37-year-old energy entrepreneur and founder of Cox Energy, positioned himself as a modernizer. He warned of an "economic crisis" inside the club and pushed for data-driven signings. After the result, he accepted defeat gracefully, saying: "Today Real Madrid has won... we have given a voice to a part of Madridismo that was asleep," according to RÉCORD.
Two Trophy-less Seasons Triggered the Snap Election
Real Madrid went two straight seasons without winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, or the Champions League. That drought — rare for a club with stars like Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham — put Pérez under real pressure for the first time in years.
In May 2026, Pérez held a press conference at Valdebebas where he denounced what he called "orchestrated campaigns" by Spanish media to destabilize the club. He then called snap elections to seek a fresh mandate, according to RTVE. He framed a Riquelme win as a return to the club's "darkest period" under former president Ramón Calderón.
Mourinho Returns and a €150M Signing Promised
The biggest headline from Pérez's victory speech was the confirmation of José Mourinho's return as head coach, replacing interim boss Álvaro Arbeloa. COPE reported that Pérez called Mourinho "the best coach in the world." The announcement has split fans — some want his winning mentality back, while others fear a return to the conflict that marked his first spell in Madrid.
Pérez also promised a "galactic" signing worth around 150 million euros, plus confirmed the arrivals of Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries. He added that he plans to present Pope Leo XIV — who visited Madrid that same weekend — with a club jersey on Monday, according to RTVE.
Over 1,000 Votes Disputed, But Margin Too Large to Change
The Riquelme campaign challenged more than 1,000 mail-in votes immediately after polls closed, causing a long and tense counting process that stretched past midnight. About 400 votes were officially declared null, according to reports. Okdiario quoted Pérez saying: "Podrían haber sido más porque hay 1.000 votos impugnados que vamos a recurrir."
Despite the legal dispute, the gap between the two candidates was too large to be affected by the contested ballots. ABC confirmed Pérez's win was clear and decisive. He will now serve until 2030, giving him the longest uninterrupted run of any Real Madrid president in the modern era.
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