Real Madrid have decided to launch their own women’s team, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has confirmed.
Real Madrid have agreed to buy CD Tacon, a Madrid-based team promoted to Liga Iberdrola - the domestic women’s top-flight - at the end of last season.
Spanish news outlet El Mundo reports that Madrid president Florentino Perez has sanctioned a deal worth around €500,000 for Tacon’s licence to be transferred to Real, with the re-branded team to take up their place in the league next season.
Confirming the arrangement, Rafael del Amo, president of the RFEF Women's Soccer Committee, told Efe: "The Federation has had something to do, we thought it was very important that the best national teams have a female team.
"I always jokingly told my Real Madrid friends that they would not be great without a female team. I can say they are great."
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The arrangement apparently only covers the first team, with a decision on an academy dependent on development. The women’s team will train and play at Real’s Ciudad Real Madrid complex in Valdebebas.
Tacon were founded in 2014 by the management company of ex-player Ana Rossell, AR10, with the idea of ultimately becoming part of the fold at Real once they had reached the top level.
Real now shed their tag as one of elite European soccer’s last clubs without a women’s team, with the Tacón acquisition allowing the club to invest in an existing side.
Barcelona, are the top-spending club in the Spanish women’s top-flight, spending close to €4 million (£3.6m/$4.5m) a year, but most club’s operate on a budget closer to €500,000.
The news comes shortly after the RFEF announced that next season there will be about €20m ($23m/£18m) allocated for women’s soccer, of which €6.5m will go to the national team and the rest to club competitions.
Of the club allocation, the national soccer body will only contribute roughly seven per cent, according to Palco23, while the rest will come from commercial rights.
Last season’s Primera Division was dominated by Atletico Madrid and Barcelona as both teams completed the campaign more than 30 points ahead of their nearest rivals, Levante.
Meanwhile, Barcelona won their second straight Copa de la Reina and reached the final of the Champions League, where they were beaten by Lyon.