A world record 85,000 club members have taken part in Benfica’s presidential elections, the most ever for a football club.
The club has 400,000 members worldwide and this year’s election is as important as ever with the future of Estadio da Luz at stake and Benfica‘s status as Portugal’s most successful team of the modern era.
Incumbent Rui Costa took a commanding lead overnight in Portugal based voting, but challenger Joao Noronha Lopes was expected to catch up in other territories overseas.
However, club legend Costa now looks set to hold out and keep his post, maintaining 45% of the vote to Noronha Lopes’ 27% with 72 of 108 tables counted.
Benfica election results as of 15:15pm WET
Rui Costa: 45.56 %
João Noronha Lopes: 26.66 %
Luis Filipe Vieira: 14.71 %
João Diogo Manteigas: 10.95 %
Martin Mayer: 1.95 %
Christopher Carvalho: 0.18 %
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