Mundo Deportivo: Barcelona Currently Have €60 Million in FPF Margin and Must Decide How to Use It Before the Winter Window

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona currently have around €60 million in available margin under Financial Fair Play (FPF). The club must decide before the winter transfer window opens whether to use this margin for winter reinforcements or move it into the 2027/28 season salary limit to cope with the decline in revenue that could result from returning to play at Montjuic.

The summer transfer window has just ended, but Barcelona's management, led by Deco, has already begun planning for the winter transfer window, which opens on January 2 next year. At present, the club have around €60 million in available FPF margin, enough room to complete a signing.

However, this margin can also be used to increase the salary limit for the 2027/28 season, when Barcelona's wage cap will be affected by the team's return to the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium. Barcelona did not complete the signing of a left-footed centre-back in the final stage of the summer window. If Deco considers it necessary, the club can revisit strengthening that position in January next year.

Compared with June this year, Barcelona's current available FPF margin has remained largely unchanged, because the margin released by player departures and registrations is almost equal to the amount occupied by new arrivals. However, Barcelona can also choose to use the current FPF margin to increase the 2027/28 season salary limit. According to sources from La Liga confirmed by Mundo Deportivo, under note 7 of regulation article 44.4, Barcelona can apply to La Liga to transfer the existing FPF margin into the following season's salary limit.

This operation must meet two conditions. First, Barcelona must submit the application before the winter transfer window opens. Second, only 75% of the amount transferred from FPF can count toward the following season's salary limit. In other words, if Barcelona use the entire current FPF margin of around €60 million for this purpose, approximately €45 million would ultimately be added to the 2027/28 salary cap.

Barcelona's 2027/28 season salary limit is expected to be lower than this season's. Because the Camp Nou stadium requires roof installation work, the team will play at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium for around four months during the first half of that season. This also means Barcelona's matchday revenue will decrease. Therefore, transferring the current FPF margin into the following season's salary limit could partially offset the related losses and help the club continue operating within the 1:1 rule.

According to data provided by the Barcelona-focused account “Gallinero Blau”, Barcelona played the entire 2024/25 season at Montjuic, with related revenue of €175 million that season. This season, with all matches scheduled at Camp Nou, Barcelona are expected to generate around €290 million to €300 million in related revenue.

After Camp Nou is fully completed, this revenue is expected to approach €400 million. Barcelona must make a decision before the winter window opens. If Barcelona can return to Camp Nou in November 2027, the club's related revenue for the 2027/28 season is expected to be around €250 million, approximately €40 million less than this season.

Therefore, transferring the currently available FPF margin into the 2027/28 salary limit can reduce the economic impact caused by playing at Montjuic and would almost ensure that Barcelona remain within the 1:1 rule. However, this choice also has a cost. If Barcelona use the current FPF margin to increase the next season's wage cap, the club will have almost no room for new operations when next summer's transfer window opens, unless players leave first.

This decision is now in front of Barcelona. The club must choose between two options: first, use the existing margin in January next year to complete a signing that can improve the squad; second, transfer the current FPF margin of around €60 million into the 2027/28 salary limit to reduce the losses caused by playing at Montjuic and avoid exceeding the 1:1 rule. Barcelona have less than three months to make a decision.