Barcelona elections loom with Laporta seeking reelection – and Lionel Messi potential influence in the spotlight.
Joan Laporta has already stated that he plans to run for a fourth term as club president when Barcelona goes to the polls in 2026. Laporta, who first took office in 2003 and returned in 2021, will attempt to retain power amid mounting scrutiny over finances, stadium renovations, and his fractured history with Lionel Messi — whose possible involvement could prove decisive.
Laporta’s mixed record
Since regaining the presidency following Josep Maria Bartomeu’s chaotic exit in 2020, Laporta has overseen both progress and controversy. On the sporting front, Barcelona have won two La Liga titles, two Copas del Rey and two Spanish Supercups, while also investing heavily in their youth academy and women’s team.
Off the pitch, Laporta has championed the long-delayed renovation of Camp Nou, part of the ambitious Espai Barça project. But questions persist over spiralling costs and the wisdom of playing home fixtures at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys and, more recently, the Estadi Johan Cruyff while construction continues.
Perhaps the most damaging blow to his credibility, however, remains the Lionel Messi saga of 2021. Laporta rode to victory partly on the promise of securing Messi’s renewal, only to back out of an agreed deal less than 24 hours before it was due to be signed, citing the club’s dire financial situation.
Messi’s potential role
According to reports from SER Catalunya, Lionel Messi has been approached about endorsing a candidate in the 2026 elections — but not by Laporta’s camp. While the Inter Miami forward has given no indication that he is willing to take such a step, the very suggestion that he might intervene is sending ripples through Barcelona’s political landscape.
During his first presidency, Laporta nurtured Messi’s rise from La Masia to global superstardom, forging what seemed to be a strong bond. But the Argentine and his family felt betrayed when his contract extension collapsed in 2021, forcing his painful departure to Paris Saint-Germain.
Although Messi returned to Camp Nou as a guest of honour earlier this year, the relationship with Laporta remains strained. Should Lionel Messi choose to back an alternative candidate, it would lend enormous credibility to Laporta’s rivals — and potentially sway thousands of socios.
The challengers line up
Victor Font, who ran against Laporta in 2021 with a vision of modernising the club’s governance and structure, is expected to stand again. Joan Camprubí, a prominent Catalan businessman, is also positioning himself as a challenger. Both could benefit greatly from Messi’s symbolic support, even if only implied.
Laporta’s name carries weight, and his track record of delivering trophies ensures he retains a loyal base among members. Yet Barcelona’s ongoing financial uncertainty, together with the political capital attached to Messi’s legacy, means next year’s elections may be the most fiercely contested in recent memory.
If Messi were to intervene, it would be an unprecedented twist in the club’s democratic process. For Laporta, it could be the greatest threat to his presidency since the vote of no confidence that forced him to step down in 2010.
