“Ajax is and blijft een opleidingsclub. Dat is ons DNA. We willen de beste opleidingsclub van het land en zelfs de wereld worden. Sportieve prestaties en de jeugdopleiding zijn samen de kurk waar deze club op drijft. Dát is de weg naar financiële duurzaamheid,” stelde Lesley Bamberger, voorzitter van de raad van commissarissen, tijdens de bijeenkomst, zoals gemeld door AjaxLife.
The shareholders of Ajax gathered on a Tuesday starting at 10:00 at the Johan Cruijff ArenA for the annual General Meeting of Shareholders, according to FCUpdate.nl.
Ajax posted an operational loss of 18,2 miljoen euro for the 2025/2026 financial year, an improvement compared to the -19,4 miljoen euro deficit recorded in 2024/2025, according to financial data reported by AT5. Total costs rose by 9,8 miljoen euro to reach 206,5 miljoen euro.
The club attributed the rising expenses mainly to higher salary costs tied to Champions League participation and one-off financial setbacks. Financial director Shashi Baboeram Panday noted during the general meeting of shareholders that the club remains too reliant on European revenue and player sales, as covered by VoetbalPrimeur.
Bamberger addressed questions regarding the club’s future on the stock exchange, stating that ending the listing is not currently planned. “Het is goed te benadrukken dat het niet voor de hand ligt dat we van de beurs gaan. Het kost veel geld en het levert geen oplossingen voor de uitdagingen die we als club hebben,” Bamberger told shareholders.
The club has been publicly traded since 1998, with past reviews such as the 2008 Rapport-Coronel previously exploring a potential delisting, as detailed by FCUpdate.nl.
Managing director Menno Geelen provided updates on the search for a new main shirt sponsor following the announcement that Ziggo will conclude its 12.5-year partnership, as reported by AjaxLife. Geelen expressed confidence in the recruitment process led by commercial director Cas Biesta and his team.
“Ziggo maakte helaas bekend te stoppen na 12,5 jaar. Ik wil hen bedanken voor al die jaren. Nu zijn we op zoek naar een nieuwe hoofdsponsor. Daarin hebben we veel vertrouwen, al kan ik nu niet ingaan op namen,” Geelen said.
The annual gathering at the Johan Cruijff ArenA featured various questions from attendees touching on team behavior and broadcast coverage. One shareholder questioned whether management could address how players celebrate goals, asking if Geelen could intervene regarding what the attendee termed selfish celebrations, reported AT5.
“Ik ga er niet over hoe spelers juichen,” said Menno Geelen, managing director, according to AT5.
Another attendee raised concerns about television broadcasts of Eredivisie highlights, prompting a polite acknowledgment from Bamberger that he heard the feedback, according to AT5.
“Ik hoor wat u zegt”, was het beleefde antwoord van RvC-voorzitter Lesley Bamberger.
Real criticism was absent, allowing the meeting to close quickly while shareholders were thanked for attending, according to AT5.
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