FC Barcelona 2025/26 Loses 112 Million in Salary Cap Limit

LaLiga has made official the new squad cost limits after the closing of the 2025 summer transfer market, and Fútbol Club Barcelona has suffered a significant cut.

The Azulgrana salary cap drops from 463 million euros in February to the current 351, a collapse of 112 million that places the club in a delicate position against its main direct competitors.

Squad Cost: FC Barcelona Salary Limits

SOURCE: LALIGA

MORE INFORMATION: Report on the evolution of the salary limit of Fútbol Club Barcelona (LCPD 2014-2025)

The decrease responds to the pending activation of the VIP boxes, valued at 100 million euros. The operation has not yet been validated by Barça's external auditor, which has caused LaLiga to adjust the figure downwards in its most recent report.

LaLiga explains the reasons for the salary adjustment to Barça

The economic director of LaLiga and the president himself, Javier Tebas, have clearly indicated the reason for the fall:

Javier Tebas: “The 112 million decrease coincides with the 100 million from the VIP box operation. The auditor has not validated them and, therefore, they are not counted”

In addition, Javier Tebas recalled that the club operates in an exceptional situation: “You have to understand that Barça is operating without its stadium, plus the economic difficulties it already had. They are not playing in their usual field, that is money”.

A complex context for the Azulgrana club

Barça is going through a transition process while waiting to return to the Spotify Camp Nou. The move to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys has meant a blow in revenue from ticketing, hospitality and services associated with the matches, which reduces the capacity to generate liquidity.

Added to this are the limitations derived from LaLiga's financial control, which forces the club to be extremely precise in each market operation. The adjustment of the salary limit directly conditions future incorporations and renewals, since it marks the real capacity to register players.

The work in the culé offices

Despite the cut, LaLiga has highlighted the effort of Barça in cleaning up its accounts and advancing in financial balance. The challenge now is to validate the VIP box operation, key to recovering margin in sports management and not losing competitiveness compared to Real Madrid, Atlético and the rest of the major European rivals.

In parallel, the club continues to work on new sources of income, from sponsorships to commercial activations, with the aim of strengthening its economic muscle while completing the remodeling of the Spotify Camp Nou.

The new salary map of LaLiga 2025/26

Real Madrid continues to lead with a margin much higher than the rest: its squad cost limit amounts to 761 million euros. Among the Catalan clubs, Espanyol sees its salary cap grow to 56 million after the capital increase with its new ownership. Girona, on the other hand, goes back from nearly 100 million to 75 in the new distribution.

The fall of Barça contrasts with the trend of several rivals who manage to increase their resources, which increases the pressure on the offices of the Azulgrana club when it comes to squaring signings, renewals and the registration of players in LaLiga.

The future of FC Barcelona, conditioned by the validation of income

The outcome of the "VIP Boxes" operation of the new Spotify Camp Nou will be a decisive factor for Barça to recover part of the lost margin.

If the entry of those 100 million euros in the audited accounts is confirmed, the salary limit could be increased in the next windows of the transfer market.

Until then, the Azulgrana club is forced to adjust its sports and financial strategy, with a view to competing at the highest level in LaLiga and in the Champions League, but under the pressure of a smaller squad salary cap.

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