Real Madrid and La Liga are never short of differences of opinion, and quite of often those disputes turn legal. This week Los Blancos latest grievance comes in the form of funding for Liga F, the women’s league.
According to Relevo, Real Madrid General Director Jose Angel Sanchez told La Liga President Javier Tebas “It’s too much. We have to cut it,” although the adjective they used was ‘spat’. The incident occurred at the Assembly of Clubs, and saw plenty of discussion from the other members of the meeting. ‘JAS’ as he is known also had a member of the Real Madrid legal team with him at La Liga’s offices.
This season La Liga contributed €8m to Liga F, part of five-year funding package worth €40m, of which this is the third year. The first two saw contributions of €6m, and the latter two will see €10m contributions from La Liga’s overall income. La Liga consists of 42 clubs between Primera and Segunda, of which only 13 are represented in Liga F, but unanimously the other clubs are in agreement for the funding. It should be noted that Real Madrid are one of those clubs involved in Liga F.
Liga F have suffered some financial setbacks in recent years, with former sponsor Finetwork failing to carry out their payment. The league also earns money through TV rights with DAZN, and €20m per year from the Ministry for Sport (CSD). They are also awarding €19.5m over that period for projects to aid the development of women’s football. The suggestion is that Real Madrid are not happy given the squeeze that is being put on their accounts, beyond what is occurring with Liga F.
Real Madrid have been criticised in the past for their lack of funding for the women’s team, with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid spending much more and earlier on their women’s teams. In 2019, Real Madrid purchased an already existing women’s club in the Spanish capital called CD Tacon, and then changed their name to Real Madrid Femenino. They were one of the last top teams in Europe to inaugurate a women’s team, and certainly seems a strange point to take a stand on, for a club that boasted an income of more than €1b last season.