Catalan Clash: How Financial Fair Play Will Shape the Future of FCB Femení

More than a decade ago, FCB Femení claimed its first Liga F Title after a relentless period of shortcomings. Its trophy cabinet has expanded exponentially since then. Barcelona entered a golden era where trophies accumulated faster than players departed. FCB Femení became a juggernaut of club football that produced Ballon d’Or-caliber players and inspired millions to play the beautiful game. Despite the clear skies and sunshine, an ominous cloud of financial fair play or FFP threatens to end this dynasty. How will the future of FCB Femení play out amidst monetary mismanagement?

Barça’s FFP woes kick-started in 2022 due to the sale of TV rights, which violated UEFA’s policy on false incomes. Déjà vu ensured two years later, despite an appeal by the Catalan club. An onslaught of registration mishaps, wage cuts, and reduced funding ensued. Although FFP applied to the men’s squad, the effects have seeped into the women’s side. Several outcomes are now possible.

Fractured Foundation

Very few homegrown players break through the ranks of their childhood club and often move on. Yet, Barcelona is known for one of the best academies in the world: La Masia. The rise of FCB Femenì would not be possible without the development of its youth system. La Masia produced seasoned veterans like Ona Batlle, Aitana Bonmatí, and Claudia Pina, and upcoming superstars in Vicky López and Salma Paralluelo. The success of these players stems from their days on the pitches of La Masia, which allowed them to bring their talents to the senior team.

They became prominent figures whom others hoped to model their career after. Many more joined La Masia with the dream of contributing to the most successful club in Spain. The arrival of global young talent laid the groundwork for Barcelona to thrive for years to come. With the uncertainty of the club’s situation, undiscovered talent may now leave for other academies, casting a shift towards foreign stars instead of homegrown. Staff members could also look for opportunities elsewhere, which would alter La Masia’s style of play and limit the amount of success the club would sustain.

Elite names not from the academy, such as Patri Guijarro, Caroline Graham Hansen, or Alexia Putellas, may decide to join rivals. These athletes helped to win the club’s first-ever Champions League title, its most sought-after honor. This trio’s departure would create a domino effect, with others following suit. Barcelona cannot afford to let this happen.

A mass exodus could ultimately fracture the foundation of the club and end the era of dominance altogether. A heavy reliance on transfers means more financial issues can loom. This limits the amount of money spent on improving facilities or signing sponsorship deals. FCB Femení may have to rebuild its entire structure from the ground up again, erasing the previous work already done. 

Uptick in Injuries

Even though Barça has been busy in the transfer window, the impacts of FFP have not allowed them to replace outgoing transfers. The club signed just one player this window, Laia Aleixandri, despite a staggering 14 players exiting, including Ingrid Engen and Fridolina Rolfö. The imbalance of arrivals and departures sees only 17 first-team players registered for the new season. Barcelona plays in four cup competitions this campaign, meaning the club will play a minimum of 37 games. A packed schedule indicates less rotation and a substantially increased risk of injuries.

Even if the club were to try to loan players in, it would still be a challenge. League rules prohibit teams from signing players if they are in the red. 17 players across nearly 40 games is unfathomable. Women are already more likely to tear their ACLs than men, an injury that has an almost year-long recovery. Minor knocks here and there affect a player’s longevity and career, potentially leading to an early retirement.

Not only would the absence of FCB Femení players hurt the club itself, but also the Spanish national team. Spain is fresh off winning the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the 2024 Nations League, and finishing as runners-up in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. La Roja is in its most sustained period of success ever. Barça players played a massive role in La Roja emerging as an international powerhouse.

Many of Spain’s under-21s, 19s, and even 17s feature for Barcelona too. Spain’s younger teams dominate youth World Cups and youth EUROs. The players who win titles at the youth level carry that mentality up to the senior level and help keep competition for places in the squad. Too many players being unavailable due to injury could make them complacent and lower the standards La Roja has set for them to reach this level. While trophies aren’t everything, having the same players feature time and time again damages the emergence of talent. 

Halting Progress

The challenges do not just relate to on-pitch worries either. The imminent rise of women’s football is partly due to the sheer dominance of FCB Femení. Barcelona’s success prompted other clubs to increase their investment in women’s teams, recognizing the long-term benefits of such investment. The dissipation of a club like FCB Femení sends an ugly message to the rest of the world: men’s football will always trump women’s football.

FFP has not only affected the Catalan club, but also clubs in England. Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Everton all sold their women’s teams to balance the books because their men’s teams had issues. Parent companies acquired both Aston Villa and Everton, while Chelsea recorded an internal sale. The sides still operate under the name of their men’s teams; however, it is not a good look. It is casting a notion that the finances of men’s teams are allowed to harm the women’s side so long as there is an escape, like selling the squad.

Whilst only a small percentage of women’s clubs have dealt with FFP problems stemming from the men’s side, others could follow suit. If Barcelona were to become the latest team to do so, there is no stopping other teams. The FFP crisis is unfair to the women who created success from scratch and built their names. Without caution, there is a risk of women’s football taking steps backward.