Real Madrid CF has officially launched the electoral process for its presidency and Board of Directors following an urgent announcement by Florentino Perez on May 12, 2026. Candidacies for the club’s leadership may be submitted between May 14 and May 23, 2026, as the institution prepares for a potential leadership transition.
The Electoral Board of Real Madrid CF confirmed the commencement of the election cycle on Thursday, May 14, 2026. This move follows a sudden press conference held by the club’s 79-year-old president, Florentino Perez, earlier this week. The club is now entering a period of institutional transition that could see a change in leadership less than 18 months after Perez was re-elected in January 2025.
Electoral Timeline and Membership Verification
According to the official call for elections, the window for the submission of candidacies opens today, May 14, and will remain open until May 23, 2026, inclusive. The Electoral Board will handle the admission and proclamation of these candidacies on the day following each submission. Any candidate facing the rejection or proclamation of their candidacy has a two-calendar-day window to submit appeals to the Board.
The election process includes specific protocols for members to verify their eligibility. From May 14 to May 18, 2026, members may check their inclusion or exclusion in the electoral roll through the Online Member Support Office or at physical Member Support Offices. These offices are operating Monday through Friday, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Members with claims regarding their status on the electoral roll must act within this same window, between May 14 and May 18, 2026. Such claims must be submitted in writing via email to juntaelectoral@corp.realmadrid.com or presented in person at the Member Support Offices during standard business hours. While the club has confirmed that members may cast votes by mail under specific regulatory conditions, the final date and location for physical voting will only be announced by the Electoral Board if more than one candidacy is proclaimed.
Perez Responds to Sporting Struggles and Criticism
The decision to call for new elections was announced by Perez during an urgent press conference at the club’s Valdebebas training ground on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. The announcement came with less than three hours of notice and follows a season in which Real Madrid failed to secure a major title for the second consecutive year. The club has also faced internal pressures, including rumors regarding the first-team coaching position and reports of disunity within the dressing room.
Perez addressed these challenges by framing the election as a response to external pressures and a perceived campaign against his administration. He expressed frustration with the current sporting results but defended his overall record at the helm of the club.
I share the frustration because we haven’t been able to win anything this year.
Florentino Perez, Real Madrid President
The president also indicated that his decision was motivated by an absurd situation
created by those working against the club’s interests. He suggested that the current atmosphere of criticism was being exploited by unnamed actors.
I’ve made this decision because an absurd situation has been created, provoked by campaigns against the interests of Real Madrid and against me.
Florentino Perez, Real Madrid President
Perez characterized the attacks as personal, stating that the results haven’t been the best, but in sports, you don’t always win
and claiming that detractors are taking advantage of the situation to attack me personally.
Rather than retreating, Perez issued a direct challenge to his critics, stating, I want to speak to those behind this campaign, those who operate in the shadows. Let them run in the elections; now they have the opportunity.
Institutional Implications of the Election
The timing of this electoral call is highly unusual. Perez’s previous re-election occurred in January 2025, meaning this new process is being initiated significantly earlier than a standard term would suggest. The move places the club in a state of uncertainty as it concludes a season marked by a lack of silverware and coaching speculation.
The involvement of the Electoral Board ensures that the process will follow the club’s established bylaws. Under Article 38, the Board has the authority to manage this transition, while Article 40 governs the public announcement of the process. As the candidacy window remains open through May 23, the primary focus for the Real Madrid membership will be the identity of the challengers and whether any candidate can successfully capitalize on the current sporting frustrations to mount a serious bid for the presidency.
For now, the club remains in a holding pattern. The membership must first finalize the electoral roll by May 18, after which the formal list of candidates will emerge. Only after the proclamation of candidates will the club provide the specific date and venue for the voting process.
