Barça Femení is one of our greatest success stories'Barça Femení is one of our greatest success stories'
Photo by Eric AlonsoGetty Images
FC Barcelona presidential pre-candidate Xavier Vilajoana says “Barça Femení is one of our greatest success stories, but we must do more.”
Barcelona have had a trophy-laden spell in the last 15 years, winning the UWCL three times, securing 10 Liga F titles, and lifting the Copa de la Reina on 11 occasions.
But six players departed before the current campaign started, as the club battled to balance its accounts. The next could be Una Batlle, who is having talks about a possible pre-contract deal with Arsenal.
However, Barça have still won 16 of their 17 league matches so far this term and lead the table by 10 points from Real Madrid, who they could meet in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Vilajoana added: “Equality isn’t just about letting women play but about offering the same resources, visibility, and opportunity to lead. If we want equality on the pitch, we need to build it in the boardroom, in our investments, and in our global vision.”
Vilajoana has concluded a week-long tour to the United States, where he engaged with members, fans, sports executives, and thought leaders to better understand how the U.S. sports market generates sustainable revenue and how those lessons can be applied to FC Barcelona.
The visit comes amid growing financial pressure on the club. Barça’s revenue has remained stagnant over the past five years, while its leadership has sold off future commercial and broadcasting rights to plug short-term gaps.
Vilajoana’s US trip included a matchday watch party with Penya NYC, discussions with sports industry leaders and NBA executives, and a seminar on leadership in sports organisations hosted by Dr. Lindsay Satah Krasnoff, Clinical Assistant Professor at the NYU Tisch Institute for Global Sport.
Women’s football also played a central role in Vilajoana’s U.S. tour and is a central pillar of his policy platform. In New York, Vilajoana participated in a panel discussion on the future of women’s football alongside experts Corinne Counsell, Sr. Manager, Community and Social Impact at Gotham FC; Dr. Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff, Clinical Assistant Professor at New York University’s Tisch institute for Global Sport and Ali Williams, Brand and Consumer Products Consultant for Seattle Reign FC, Seattle Sounders FC, and founder of ALISONJO. The panel was moderated by Grace Ahrens, Executive Director of Women in Soccer, a community-building platform aimed at increasing the participation of women within the world of soccer. The conversation highlighted pathways for young talent, how to build fan communities, and the structural investment needed to unlock the next era of growth.
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Wilf Frith
Wilf Frith is a women’s football news editor who works for Her Goal Magazine and had been with all its predecessors since 1996, becoming a founding team member after running Sunday Kicks. He has also held previous long-term roles as press officer for the Cornwall Women’s Football League and Penzance Ladies FC.