Enrique Riquelme has promised to upgrade the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium capacity to 20,000 if he is elected president of Real Madrid.

The Spanish club is set to host the presidential election on June 7 with current president Florentino Pérez facing opposition for the role for the first time since 2006.

His competitor, Riquelme, has vowed to increase the capacity of the 5,967-seat venue which is used by Real Madrid Femenino and Real Madrid Castilla.

Riquelme is also proposing that the Santiago Bernabéu hosts women’s games for the first time.

New arena and more

The Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium upgrade would be part of the “Member City” project which would feature a members-only social club, a hotel, a new 15,000-seat basketball arena and expanded facilities for the women’s team.

“It’s the biggest transformation for and by the members in Real Madrid’s history,” Riquelme said, as reported by Fox Deportes.

“It’s a project that, for the first time, considers the club’s owners, not privatisation or selling the club.

“It’s a project by and for its members and a place for community.

“With our project, Real Madrid, if I am president, will once again belong to its members. Real Madrid is global, but the club belongs to the members.”

Riquelme’s plan would also see the creation of a plaza for 25,000 people where the team’s matches could be followed on a giant screen, a 22,000 square meter clubhouse, an outdoor aquatic centre, an auditorium for events for 1,500 attendees, 11 football pitches, 41 padel and tennis courts, and six basketball courts.

He also pledged to cut membership fees by 50% and make 10,000 season tickets available through a lottery to cut the number of members “holding for years in a waiting list”.

“In the 1950s, Real Madrid was a members’ club,” Riquelme said.

“The members felt they were part of something. They knew they were the ones in charge. Between 2004 and 2026, Real Madrid lost its essence, and the members lost their club.”

The 37-year-old has accused Perez of wanting to “privatise the club” after proposing to create a subsidiary that would allow outside investors to buy a 5% stake in it.