By Martin Graham
La Liga has released the revised squad cost limits for the 2025–26 campaign after the close of the transfer market. The most striking change concerned Barcelona, whose cap for January dropped by almost a quarter. Their allowance fell from €463 million to €351 million, a cut largely tied to the cancellation of their 30-year VIP seating lease agreement worth €100 million. The deal was excluded from the club’s accounts by auditing firm Crowe earlier this year.
La Liga leaders comment on the situation
League executive Javier Gómez expressed optimism about Barcelona’s long-term outlook, stressing that the financial giants would eventually stabilize their accounts. He pointed to the temporary closure of their stadium, which is costing the club between €70–80 million, as a major factor. Gómez also noted that the VIP seats arrangement remains a decisive element worth €100 million.
La Liga president Javier Tebas also addressed the matter, dismissing suggestions that the league’s rules are too rigid. He clarified that the league relies entirely on external auditors when it comes to accounting decisions. Tebas underlined that La Liga has no authority to reverse what auditors determine, explaining that while Barcelona’s former auditors approved the VIP seats deal, their current auditors have since removed it from the books.
Barcelona’s struggle to meet the 1:1 rule
Club president Joan Laporta has consistently promised that Barcelona would soon return to the “1:1 spending rule,” lifting restrictions on registering players. The club briefly achieved this target in January, which enabled them to add Dani Olmo and extend several contracts. Yet this summer, the board again resorted to providing personal guarantees to secure the registration of Marcus Rashford and Joan García.
