Former Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal could become the next president of Spanish football club Real Madrid, according to a report by Madrid sports newspaper Diario AS.
In the role, Nadal could succeed the club's current president, Florentino Perez. For that to happen, Real Madrid's board of directors must approve his candidacy at a meeting on November 21, 2026.
According to Diario AS, the offer to take over the club presidency was put to Nadal before the El Clasico match against FC Barcelona. That fixture took place on October 25 and ended in a 2-1 away victory for Real Madrid.
Responding to the approach at the time, Nadal said it was a great honour for him that he had been considered for the position. The approach followed earlier reports that the former tennis player had already joined Real Madrid's board of directors.
Real Madrid's presidency and Florentino Perez's tenure
Founded in 1902, Real Madrid Club de Futbol plays its home matches at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the Spanish capital. The club holds the record for the most European Cup and UEFA Champions League titles, as well as the most Spanish top-flight league championships. Its matches against rival Spanish club FC Barcelona, known as El Clasico, are among the most watched fixtures in world football.
Unlike many major European football clubs that belong to private owners or corporate groups, Real Madrid is a member-owned institution run by its paying members, known as socios. An executive board of directors governs the club's operations, and the president serves as its top official across both the football and basketball teams.
Perez, a Spanish businessman and civil engineer who heads the construction company ACS, has served two spells as Real Madrid president. He first held the office from 2000 to 2006 and returned to the post in 2009, overseeing numerous domestic and European titles during both periods.
Rafael Nadal's Grand Slam and Olympic record
Born in Manacor on the Balearic island of Mallorca, Nadal is a lifelong Real Madrid supporter who brought his professional playing career to a close in November 2024. Over the course of his career on the men's tour, the Spaniard won 92 singles titles, establishing himself among the most successful players in the history of tennis.
Those victories included 22 Grand Slam singles titles across the sport's four major tournaments: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. Nadal enjoyed his greatest dominance on the clay courts of Paris, winning the French Open at Roland Garros an all-time record 14 times.
Alongside his major tour trophies, Nadal also became a two-time Olympic gold medallist representing Spain. He won the men's singles title at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and added a second Olympic gold medal in the men's doubles event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
