Almería's 40 Million Euro Budget Gets Green Light Thanks to Al-Khereiji's Cash Injection
UD Almería approves a €40m budget for 2025-26 season after covering last year's €30m losses with a loan from Saudi owner Mohamed Al-Khereiji.
Almería’s 40 Million Euro Budget Gets Green Light Thanks to Al-Khereiji’s Cash Injection
UD Almería have secured financial stability for the coming season after approving a €40 million budget, though it represents a €5 million reduction from last year’s figures.
Financial Maneuvers at the Mediterranean Club
The Segunda División outfit held an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting yesterday where the budget for the 2025-26 campaign got the nod. This followed the ordinary general meeting where last season’s accounts were also approved, revealing the club had racked up pre-tax losses of a whopping €30 million.
Those losses haven’t left the club in the mire though, as owner Mohamed Al-Khereiji has stepped in with a participatory loan to cover the deficit. According to the club’s official statement, this financial intervention will “provide stability” to the Andalusian side.
Despite this cash injection from the Saudi boss, Almería will actually be operating with a smaller budget than last season. The €40 million figure represents a €5 million drop from the previous campaign’s €45 million allocation.
Budget History Under Saudi Ownership
This latest budget marks the third-lowest since Saudi ownership took control of the Mediterranean club. Here’s how the numbers stack up:
- 2019-20: €20 million (Segunda División)
- 2020-21: €28 million (Segunda División)
- 2021-22: €43 million (Segunda División)
- 2022-23: €89 million (Primera División)
- 2023-24: €90 million (Primera División)
- 2024-25: €45 million (Segunda División)
- 2025-26: €40 million (Segunda División)
The figures tell a clear story - the club’s bread and butter comes from top-flight football. Their two seasons in La Liga saw the budget more than double compared to their current Segunda División allocation.
The financial belt-tightening comes as Almería attempt to navigate their way back to the promised land of La Liga. While €40 million still represents significant spending power in Spain’s second tier, it’s a far cry from the Adam and Eve (believe) days of their recent Primera stint.
For Al-Khereiji, who took over from previous Saudi owner Turki Alalshikh, the challenge now is clear - deliver promotion with reduced resources or face potentially further budget constraints in future seasons.