One year into Rui Costa’s renewed spell at Benfica, the headline numbers are hard to ignore. The first round drew 85,442 members to the ballot box, the second round brought 93,891 voters across 108 polling stations in Portugal and abroad, and Costa won 65.89% to 34.11% over João Noronha Lopes. The vote was historic. The delivery since then has been more uneven.
Sporting progress and the Champions League gap
Benfica’s current form is stronger than the election backdrop suggested. They are second in the Primeira Liga with 25 points from 10 matches, and their league run reads eight wins, one draw and one defeat. In Europe, they are top of their Europa League group with four wins from four.
That league and European position gives Rui Costa some cover, but it does not erase last season’s failure to qualify for the Champions League. Marco Silva was officially presented on 12 June, and several 2025/26 reinforcements were discarded from his options this summer. The squad picture has changed, yet the most important sporting pledge, regular Champions League football, is still unfinished.
The financial target still looks distant
The finances tell a similar story. Benfica set a target of lifting annual revenue from €300 million to €500 million over five years, but the latest annual report showed liabilities down by around €8.5 million to €474.8 million. That is progress, just not the kind of movement that suggests the plan is close to being completed.
The turnout figures show what Rui Costa still has behind him. They do not by themselves solve the gap between campaign language and what has actually been delivered on the sporting and financial side. Benfica remain in a good domestic position and a clean one in Europe so far, but the first year of the renewed term still ends with the bigger promises only partly met.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
