José Pereira da Costa: 3-year balance, 25/26 risk, Dragão gamble | OneFootball

José Pedro Pereira da Costa, FC Porto’s Chief Financial Officer, stated that UEFA’s financial sustainability requirement should be assessed from a cumulative perspective over three seasons and not “season by season,” emphasizing that investing in the squad sometimes requires making sales.

The so-called “break-even” rule has been changed and now requires that, over the course of three seasons, the club does not present a deficit greater than 5 million euros.

In the report presented, Pereira da Costa acknowledged that 2024/25 was a “very good” year from a financial standpoint, but “painful” in sporting terms, a situation that still allows for planning squad reinforcements for 2025/26.

Regarding the closing of the 2025/26 financial year, the CFO warned that, without a very positive campaign in the Europa League and without significant sales by June 30, it will be difficult to close with a profit – assuring, however, that the club will fully comply with UEFA’s rules.

On the revenue front, Pereira da Costa pointed to commercial revenue as the main driver, revealing a project to renovate Estádio do Dragão, valued at around 30 million euros, which includes improvements to boxes, corporate hospitality, bars, and food & beverage offerings. The club recorded remarkable growth in its membership and ticketing base: it went from around 120,000 to 170,000 members and, for the first time, there is a waiting list for annual seats, after an increase from 23,000 to over 30,000.

Referring to the centralization of television rights from 2028 onwards, the official considered that the model could bring benefits – particularly in international sales and digital packages – but stressed that everything will depend on the “market test” and the distribution key.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.