The Teruel city council is set to propose a one-off grant of €235,000 to Club Deportivo Teruel during the plenary session on 3 November. This funding aims to address the club's accumulated debts from previous years and secure its financial stability.
The initiative has already received unanimous approval from the Finance Committee and is intended to ensure the club's continuity, allowing its management to focus on sporting activities rather than financial issues. Mayor Emma Buj explained that the club had informed the council of its debts, which, despite efforts to reduce them in recent years, threatened its regular operations. “We did not want the viability of a club that enhances our city to be compromised,” she stated.
Buj highlighted the exceptional nature of the grant and the municipal support for the team, its fans, and the 1,500 members who fill the stadium at every match. “We are convinced that this extraordinary grant will provide the club with financial stability and allow it to focus on the remainder of the season on sporting matters rather than economic ones,” she affirmed.
The €235,000 will cover outstanding payments to tax authorities, social security, and suppliers. Additionally, the club has a financial debt of €100,000 that cannot be addressed through this grant. To finance the aid, the council will adjust its 2026 budget by reallocating funds from areas where spending is expected to fall short, such as financial interest payments.
Legally, the operation will be processed as an extension of the annual grant the city council already provides to CD Teruel under the corresponding agreement, thus not requiring a public competitive bidding process. The exceptional nature of this measure lies in its amount.
Buj also announced that the city's regular contribution to the club will increase from €130,000 in 2026 to €150,000 in 2027, reflecting a nearly 15% rise, in line with the increase in membership fees, which have also risen by 15%. Furthermore, the Government of Aragon is expected to boost its contributions to CD Teruel in the 2027 budget, potentially placing the club on par with larger teams such as Real Zaragoza and SD Huesca, although specific details and timelines for this funding are yet to be confirmed.
CD Teruel President Santiago Gonzalvo expressed gratitude for the support from the mayor and the council. He explained that the current management, which has been in charge for two years, discovered a debt greater than anticipated following audits mandated by the Primera Federación. Gonzalvo noted that the club has already repaid around €100,000 from last season's budget.
The initial debt ranged between €465,000 and €475,000 and included obligations to tax authorities, social security, suppliers, bonuses, and players, as well as financial commitments. He clarified that outstanding invoices dating back to 2021 had to be settled using subsequent budgets. The president added that the club has been unable to secure bank loans due to a lack of assets that could serve as collateral. This challenge is compounded by rising player registration costs in the Primera Federación and the club's limited budget, which is among the lowest in the league.
“This financial support is solely for debt relief. We will not be making any signings in December; this is for debt management,” Gonzalvo emphasised, expressing confidence that the aid will help the club overcome its current difficulties and ensure its continuity. He warned that without this funding, the club faced serious financial challenges by late January or February, which could lead to severe sporting consequences, including relegation or even the club's dissolution. “We believe that Club Deportivo Teruel is the club of the city, representing all the citizens of Teruel,” Gonzalvo stated, reiterating the management's commitment to responsible financial management and economic recovery. This extraordinary assistance from the city council aims to alleviate the burden of accumulated debts, strengthen the financial stability of CD Teruel, and support the team in completing the season successfully while maintaining regular municipal support and anticipating future contributions from the Government of Aragon.
