FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, currently on loan at Girona, faced an embarrassing moment on March 15, 2026, when he was denied the right to vote in the club's presidential elections due to his absence from the electoral roll. While President Joan Laporta remained in high spirits during the proceedings, the city of Valencia celebrated a milestone in the Fallas festival as the Sueca-Literato Azorín commission's anti-war figure was granted the prestigious Ninot Indultat pardon.
Ter Stegen Voting Incident
The German goalkeeper was unable to participate in the FC Barcelona presidential elections because he was not listed on the official electoral roll.
Laporta's Election Presence
Incumbent president Joan Laporta participated in the voting process, expressing high spirits despite the administrative hiccup involving the club's loanee.
Fallas 2026 Ninot Indultat
The Sueca-Literato Azorín commission won the public vote to save their anti-war monument from the traditional burning scheduled for March 19.
FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen was turned away from a polling station during the club's presidential elections on March 15, 2026, after officials found he was not on the electoral roll. The incident drew attention on a day when the club's members gathered to vote for a new president. Ter Stegen, who according to the Person Registry is currently on loan at Girona from Barcelona, arrived at the polling station only to be told he could not cast a ballot. The scene was described by multiple Spanish and German outlets as an embarrassing moment for the German international. The elections marked a significant moment for the club, with incumbent president Joan Laporta among those participating in the vote.
Joan Laporta, who has served as Barcelona president since 2021 according to the Person Registry, cast his vote and appeared in good spirits during the process. He greeted supporters gathered outside the polling station in what La Vanguardia described as a crowd bath. „I am in high spirits” (I am in high spirits) — Joan Laporta via LaVanguardia The atmosphere around Laporta's appearance was described as warm, with supporters present at the venue. The elections represented the conclusion of his second presidential term at the club, which according to the Person Registry ran from 2021 to 2026.
The FC Barcelona presidential elections are held periodically and allow registered club members, known as socis, to vote directly for the club's leadership. Joan Laporta previously served as Barcelona president between 2003 and 2010 before returning to the role in 2021. The club's electoral process requires voters to be formally registered on the electoral roll in advance of polling day. The requirement to appear on the electoral roll before voting is a standard procedural rule in Barcelona's membership elections, and ter Stegen's absence from the list meant officials had no option but to refuse his vote. The goalkeeper's situation highlighted the administrative requirements that even high-profile players must meet to participate in club governance. No confirmed information is available from the source articles on the total number of votes cast or the final result of the election.
Separately, the Fallas festival in Valencia produced its own headline on March 15, 2026, when the Sueca-Literato Azorín commission won the Ninot Indultat for 2026. The winning figure carried an anti-war message, according to multiple Spanish outlets including La Vanguardia, La Razón, and ABC. The Sueca-Literato Azorín commission's entry was selected from among the competing fallas figures as the one to be spared from the ceremonial burning that closes the festival. The Fallas celebration takes place annually in March in Valencia, with the main days centered around the feast of Saint Joseph on March 19. The pardoned ninot will be preserved rather than burned, as is tradition for the winning figure each year.