Córdoba CF CEO Antonio Fernández Monterrubio delivered a talk on Thursday, 22 October, at the headquarters of the Córdoba Confederation of Business Owners (CECO), addressing around 100 representatives of the local business community. He outlined the key factors behind the club’s economic, business, organisational and sporting development in recent years. Also taking part were CECO Vice-President Fran Torrent and Gerard Esteva Viladecans, Vice-President of the CEOE’s Tourism, Culture and Sport Committee and President of the Confederation of Unions of Spanish Regional Sports Federations.

Under the title “Building for Growth: A Football Club as a Business Project and a Platform for a Province”, Fernández Monterrubio presented a management model rooted in the club’s transformation, with the aim of establishing Córdoba CF as a professional, sustainable organisation closely connected to the development of its surrounding community.

His address centred on three key ideas: the club as a business, its ability to showcase Córdoba, and its contribution to economic activity and territorial cohesion. “Córdoba CF is a company that does not produce copper, olive oil or energy: it produces hope and excitement. And when managed rigorously, that hope and excitement become this province’s most powerful economic asset for raising its profile,” the CEO explained. He also highlighted the difficulty of building that value: “No product is harder to create or easier to destroy.”

One of the most significant figures presented by the Córdoba CF executive concerned the club’s impact on the economy of the province as a whole. According to official figures from LaLiga and consultancy firm KPMG, its direct, indirect and induced impact amounts to €198.6 million, equivalent to 2.8% of the city of Córdoba’s GDP. That figure is nine times the club’s own revenue budget. This impact also translates into 2,260 direct, indirect and induced jobs.

Fernández Monterrubio noted that the club works with 133 suppliers in the local area, helping to generate business for nearby companies and service providers. In addition, 252 people make each match possible, supporting local employment and creating opportunities across sectors including retail, hospitality and other services. “We bring money and cohesion to Córdoba,” he said.

The starting point

To explain the scale of this development, the CEO began by recalling the project’s financial starting point. The cash balance of €309.71 displayed at the beginning of his presentation illustrated the situation in November 2019: financial difficulties, €4 million in overdue debt and a club competing in Segunda B. Since then, the club has developed into an organisation with annual revenue of €22.4 million, moving from losses of €4.9 million to a profit of €1.6 million. “We have to be honest about where we started,” Monterrubio said, stressing the need to build on sound management, stability and professionalisation. This progress is also reflected in the club’s squad cost limit, which has risen from €6.1 million to €11.05 million in two years, and in an organisation subject to LaLiga’s financial controls and auditing procedures.

This transformation is reflected in an organisational structure comprising 159 employees, 125 of whom work in the sporting department, overseeing activities that extend well beyond competition. Stadium management, season-ticket holder relations, commercial assets, supporter services and the adoption of technological tools all form part of an increasingly specialised business model. “This is the organisational chart of a company, not a group of friends,” the CEO said, emphasising the importance of procedures, clearly defined responsibilities and efficient management.

Sporting stability is another key element. Across 139 official matches in recent seasons, the club has maintained continuity in its project, improving its league position each campaign. “A poor run of results cannot be allowed to destroy a plan,” Monterrubio said, linking ambition on the pitch with consistency in management.

Community support and a platform for business

The second major theme of the talk positioned Córdoba CF as a communication asset and a platform for promoting the city and province. Viewing figures for the 2025–2026 season totalled 3.68 million, including an international audience of 2.57 million, with growth of 77%. The competition also provides television exposure across 42 weekends, offering a platform to introduce Córdoba to new audiences and create opportunities for local businesses. “We are not here to ask for support; we are here to offer a platform,” Monterrubio told the audience, inviting businesses to make use of the club’s reach through partnerships and brand activations.

Córdoba CF’s impact is also evident in its ability to draw people together and its deep roots across the province. Last season, the Bahrain Victorious Nuevo Arcángel stadium recorded an average attendance of 15,789, with a season-high crowd of 18,978. The club also has more than 17,400 season-ticket holders, an all-time record that reflects the scale of its supporter base. There are also 50 Córdoba CF supporters’ clubs, including 19 established since 2020, forming a network that keeps the bond with fans alive and extends it across the province. Season-ticket holders come from 93 towns and villages, confirming Córdoba CF’s role as a meeting point for a community that reaches beyond the city itself. “People travelling 100 kilometres every fortnight perfectly illustrate the extraordinary loyalty of Córdoba CF supporters,” he said.

The talk also explored opportunities for cooperation between Córdoba CF and the business community through its Business Club, hospitality facilities and commercial assets. The Business Club brings together 47 companies from 12 sectors, with a 90% retention rate, providing a setting for professional networking and new business opportunities. Meanwhile, hospitality revenue has doubled. Monterrubio stressed the need to move beyond conventional sponsorship towards partnerships that create value for both parties. “I have come here today to tell you that the club can be useful to your businesses,” he said, inviting attendees to explore the different ways of working together. The proposal centres on one idea: every match offers an opportunity to promote Córdoba, activate brands and build new business relationships.

The growth project also includes a commitment to youth football, sporting stability and social responsibility. Córdoba CF’s academy has 333 players across 19 teams, including 116 female players, supported by 73 coaches. This structure places education and talent development among the club’s strategic investments. On the pitch, the club has progressed from promotion in 2024 to establishing itself in professional football, finishing 14th with 55 points in its first season back in the Second Division, followed by ninth place with 61 points the following season.

Foundation

The club’s Corporate Social Responsibility activities are brought together under the Córdoba CF Foundation. These include its Mixed Football School, with 304 children across 19 teams, alongside hugely rewarding inclusive programmes such as Córdoba CF Genuine and the Integration and Adapted Sports School. This work also encompasses initiatives such as “Aula Blanquiverde”, which reaches more than 1,000 pupils from 22 schools, mainly aged nine and ten. Its aim is to bring the club closer to younger generations and reinforce educational and social values. “Reconnecting with the lost generation” is the guiding idea behind this initiative, which forms part of a vision for Córdoba CF that goes beyond results on the pitch.

To conclude, the Córdoba CF CEO invited local businesses to “take part in a new phase of shared growth, making the most of the club’s ability to bring people together, its profile and its deep roots across the province”. The aim is to consolidate a project that combines professional management, financial stability and sporting ambition with an increasingly close relationship with the provincial economy: “to grow, to grow responsibly and to grow with Córdoba”.