Who Owns Barcelona?

FC Barcelona has published sustainability commitments and holds Biosphere Responsible Tourism certification for the Camp Nou as a visitor destination. The club aligns its sustainability reporting with the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Barcelona's sustainability initiatives include energy efficiency programs at the Camp Nou and training complex, waste management measures at stadium events, and sustainable procurement guidelines for club operations. The club publishes an annual sustainability report through its official website.

The FC Barcelona Foundation implements social responsibility programs in education, health, and community development in Catalonia and globally. The foundation uses football as a vehicle for programs targeting youth development and social inclusion.

The Espai Barca renovation project for the Camp Nou includes environmental specifications for building materials and energy systems, though independent third-party sustainability certification for the construction project has not been publicly announced as of June 2026.

FC Barcelona has won 28 La Liga titles as of the 2024-25 season. The club won the 2024-25 La Liga title, its most recent domestic championship. Barcelona has won the Copa del Rey 31 times, making it the most successful club in that competition's history.

In European competition, Barcelona has won the UEFA Champions League five times: 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2015. The 2009 and 2011 wins came under Pep Guardiola. Barcelona also won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1979, 1982, 1989, and 1997, and the UEFA Super Cup on multiple occasions.

In FIFA Club World Cup competition, Barcelona has won three times: 2009, 2011, and 2015.

Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, has produced players including Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol, and Pedri. Messi won eight Ballon d'Or awards during his career, the majority of which were won while he was at Barcelona.

The Negreira Case (2023 to present): In February 2023, Spanish media reported that FC Barcelona had made payments totaling approximately 7.3 million euros between 2001 and 2018 to companies controlled by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, who served as vice-president of Spain's refereeing technical committee (CTA) during that period. Barcelona's initial statement described the payments as being for technical reports and referee assessment consulting. The matter was referred to prosecutors in Barcelona. In March 2023, the Barcelona prosecution indicted FC Barcelona as an institution, along with former presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, and Negreira himself, for alleged corruption and falsification of business records. Current president Joan Laporta was separately indicted in October 2023 on bribery-related charges. In May 2024, a Barcelona court rejected certain bribery charges against Laporta, though the broader criminal proceedings against the club and other individuals remained ongoing as of June 2026. The case is being prosecuted under Spanish criminal procedure and has not produced final verdicts as of the date of this article.

Financial Difficulties and La Liga Salary Cap (2021-2023): In summer 2021, FC Barcelona reported a net debt position of approximately 1.35 billion euros. La Liga's Financial Fair Play system, which operates through salary caps tied to club revenues, required Barcelona to significantly reduce its wage bill. This salary cap constraint prevented Barcelona from registering Lionel Messi to a new contract despite both parties agreeing terms, resulting in Messi's departure to Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021. Barcelona subsequently used financial instruments it described as "economic levers" -- the partial sale of future television rights and the sale of a minority stake in Barca Studios -- to generate transfer capital. These transactions were approved by the socios in general assembly votes. La Liga approved the use of these financial instruments under its own regulations, and UEFA reviewed Barcelona's financial compliance under its Financial Sustainability Regulations separately.

Dani Olmo Registration Dispute (2024-2025): In summer 2024, Barcelona signed Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig. Due to La Liga salary cap constraints, the club encountered difficulty registering Olmo within the league's financial rules. La Liga initially denied registration. Barcelona obtained a temporary registration through a Spanish sports court ruling in January 2025 based on an injury to a registered player creating available salary space. La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) disputed this registration mechanism. The case went before Spain's Administrative Court for Sport (TAD) and ultimately the Constitutional Court. The registration was upheld, allowing Olmo to continue playing for the club. The dispute attracted significant media and regulatory attention in Spanish football.