Villas-Boas: Results show progress, recovery under way | OneFootball

Statement by André Villas-Boas:

“The first semester of the 2025/26 fiscal year, which corresponds to the first half of the current sports season, confirmed FC Porto's ability to respond with determination, balance, and competence to the increasing demands of the context in which it operates, both in sports and financial components. The Club consolidated its reputation, reinforcing its competitive ambition and demonstrating to the markets the results of renewed management, based on principles of rigor and responsibility. In sports, FC Porto ended the year with very promising results and a positive trajectory on all fronts. After a strong investment in the summer window, the very positive results were evident from a renewed working group, led by the coach Francesco Farioli, carefully hired, who started the 2025/26 season showing consistency, quality of play, and a strong competitive identity, capable of responding to the outlined sports project. The performance in domestic and European competitions, marked by direct qualification for the Europa League round of 16, reinforced FC Porto's prestige, restoring its image of combativeness and its ability to compete at the highest level.

The asset appreciation policy continued to be conducted carefully, based on two complementary aspects: the successful focus on young athletes with high potential for appreciation and the hiring of experienced athletes, capable of guaranteeing immediate sports returns. This strategy favored operations that combine sustainability with a long-term return perspective, allowing FC Porto to have the most valuable squad ever, valued at over 400 million euros at the time of publishing these results.

Training received increased attention, with a progressive increase in the integration of young athletes into the main teams, confirming that FC Porto's competitive future is based on solid foundations, combining quality, method, and identity. The advancement of the new FC Porto High-Performance Center project, an infrastructure that will represent a qualitative leap in the training and performance conditions of our teams, constitutes a strategic investment that strengthens the capacity for talent development, technological innovation, and integration between professional football and training. The Estádio do Dragão also underwent transformations on various levels, notably the VIP Boxes, Corporate areas, and a new and modern stadium lighting system, fulfilling a renovation plan that will continue during the next off-season and elevate Dragão's profile to the forefront of stadiums that will host the 2030 World Cup, of which we will be one of the hosts. The new ticketing platform represents another step towards the dematerialization of processes, resulting in the creation of a new Access Card, a digital, individual, free, unique, and permanent card throughout the season. This is a matter of capital importance for us to continue innovating and improving the service provided to our Members and fans.

From an economic-financial perspective, the results reflect a trajectory of consolidation and sustainable recovery aimed at achieving balanced economic exploitation. The increase in operating revenues – notably commercial revenues including sponsorships and ticketing, where the continuous increase in the number of Members and the increase and full sale of annual seats fuel well-founded expectations –, superior results from player transfer transactions, and the reduction of financial burdens, resulting from debt refinancing operations, notably the almost total amortization of the operation to anticipate television rights, allowed compensating for the increased costs resulting from investment in the main football team, achieving a balanced net result. These results reflect the collective effort of all those who serve FC Porto: athletes, coaches, collaborators, managers, partners, and our members and fans. Their loyalty and demand continue to be a decisive stimulus for the work we develop every day. Thus, FC Porto moved into 2026 with confidence in the future.”

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