Rui Costa 53 yr old President just got elected to another 4 year term and is not only because of football results but financial results and other sports
As a player, Rui Costa won one Primeira Liga (1993/94) and one Taça de Portugal (1992/93) with Benfica before his success in Italy. As president (since 2021), he has overseen over 50 senior titles across Benfica's various sports, including 12+ national trophies and successes in basketball, handball, roller Hockey, futsall and volleyball..if you in Lisbon you most visited Cosme Damiao Museum .
Rui Costa’s journey from a young fan in the stands to the president of S.L. Benfica is a renowned story of loyalty in football, marking a full-circle career dedicated to his childhood club.
The Ball Boy and Youth Prospect Born in 1972, Rui Costa grew up a passionate Benfica fan. At age nine, he impressed the legendary Eusébio during a trial at the training complex, earning a place in the Benfica academy. He spent years in the youth ranks, deeply immersed in the club’s culture.
Sport Lisboa e Benfica is a highly eclectic club with teams across dozens of sports beyond its main focus of football. Major sections includebasketball, futsal, roller hockey, volleyball, handball, athletics, swimming, and various combat/martial arts, with both men's and women's teams in many disciplines.
Other: Rugby, Gymnastics, Table Tennis, Golf, Sport Fishing, Billiards, Skating/Ice Skating, Cycling, and Karting.
Benfica is known for its high level of competition, having won European titles in football, roller hockey, futsal, handball, and athletics. Both men and women titles .
Benfica operates as a multi-sports club with significant expenditures, with recent reports indicating "other expenses" (covering operating costs, including some non-football activities) reached €90 million for the 2024/25 period. For the 2023/24 season, these expenses were €88 million, the highest in Portugal.
Operating Expenses (General): For the fiscal semester ending June 2025, SL Benfica reported €66.39M in operating expenses.
Stadium and Operating Costs: The largest cost category is the operation of the Estádio da Luz, which rose to €32 million for 2024/25.
Benfica TV (BTV): Operating the club's television channel costs approximately €9 million annually.
Women's Football: Costs associated with the inclusion of women's football are integrated into the annual "other expenses" reported.
Football Salaries (2025/26): The annual payroll for the first team's base wages is approximately €46.78 million.
Transfer Activity (25/26): The club has a reported expenditure of €116.55m on player transfers for the 25/26 season.
While the club is known for high revenue from player sales, its operational costs for maintaining various sports modalities are the highest in Portugal.
As of February 26, 2025, SL Benfica has officially surpassed 400,000 paid club members (sócios), confirming their position as one of the largest, if not the largest, sports clubs in the world by membership count. The 400,000th member was registered just ahead of the club's anniversary on February 28, 2025.
Member Count: 400,000+.
Status: Considered the club with the most paid members in the world, surpassing Bayern Munich.
Growth: The club has experienced rapid growth, with thousands of new members joining monthly, driven by high demand for tickets and the "Red Pass" (season ticket) waiting list.
Significance: Members (sócios) pay annual fees, granting them voting rights and ticketing benefits.
The club is renowned for its massive, dedicated fanbase, with over 50 million fans worldwide in addition to their 400,000 paid members.
