Real Madrid has initiated the process for electing a new president after current president Florentino Perez announced his decision to hold elections. Perez will be a candidate in the election, which is a requirement for any potential candidate to be a club member for 20 years and provide a guarantee of 187 million euros, equivalent to 15 per cent of the club's annual budget, backed by personal assets.Perez was re-elected unopposed in January 2025 for a four-year term, but he has decided to run again. Spanish businessman Enrique Riquelme, president of the water and energy group Cox, is considering entering the election. Riquelme has asked Perez for more time to potentially prepare a candidacy.In an interview, Perez responded to Riquelme's request by saying, "When I ran in the 2000 elections, I didn’t ask for more time; I ran, and I won." If multiple candidates stand, the electoral board will announce the date and place of the elections in due course. If no one else comes forward, Perez would retain his post, as has happened in previous elections.
Perez was first elected as Madrid president in 2000, overseeing the club's Galactico era, and resigned in 2006. Since his return in 2009, Madrid have won several titles, including five Spanish league titles and six European cups.
