The direct conversion of coal to heat and electricity by a hybrid direct carbon fuel cell (HDCFC) is a highly efficient and cleaner technology than the conventional combustion power plants. HDCFC is defined as a combination of solid oxide fuel cell and molten carbonate fuel cell. This work investigates cathode-supported cells as an alternative configuration for HDCFC, with better catalytic activity and performance. This study aims to define the best processing route to manufacture highly efficient cathode-supported cells based on La0.75Sr0.25MnO3/yttria-stabilized zirconia infiltrated backbones. The challenges on the development of high-performance backbones are discussed. In this study, cathode supported configuration was confirmed to be more efficient for the oxidation of carbon than anode supported configuration. The maximum power density of the cathode supported cell increased almost by a factor of two when compared with the anode supported cell. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.