FC Porto presidency under André Villas-Boas

André Villas-Boas, the president of FC Porto, has addressed his transition from football manager to club administration and the current state of the institution. Following the club receiving a sports merit award at the Portugal Football Globes gala, Villas-Boas noted his ambition to lead the club began during his coaching tenure at Zenit and stated his goal is to leave the institution in a better state than he found it.

Villas-Boas has clarified that he has no intention of returning to coaching, maintaining a separation between his former sideline role and his administrative duties. He also highlighted the challenges Portuguese clubs face when competing with the English Premier League for young talent.

During the club’s ‘Dia do Clube’ celebrations, Villas-Boas emphasized the strength of FC Porto’s associativism. Meanwhile, Mário Figueiredo has criticized Villas-Boas’s rhetoric regarding a potential alliance between rivals Sporting CP and SL Benfica, suggesting such claims are a strategic attempt to deflect from Porto’s championship leadership.

Expanding on the club’s growth, Villas-Boas reported that membership has been increasing by approximately 20% annually since 2024, reaching nearly 190,000 members. He has set a target to reach 200,000 members quickly, with a long-term goal of 250,000. Regarding infrastructure, he announced that the High Performance Center (CAR) in Olival has received its licensing. Addressing external criticism, the president stated he would not leave the club “without defense” against outside “noise.”

In October 2026, Villas-Boas visited the club’s Chaves branch to celebrate its 25th anniversary, where he reaffirmed his membership targets, noting the continued 20% annual growth trend since 2024.