CBF holds second meeting with Série A and B clubs on new league | OneFootball

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) held its second meeting this Monday (25) at a hotel in Rio de Janeiro with clubs and federations to create the Football League in Brazil. Representatives from clubs in Série A and B of the Brazilian Championship and presidents of the state federations were present. The meeting follows up on the first one, held in April this year, which marked the kickoff of the collective effort to strengthen national football.

Samir Xaud, CBF president, opened the meeting and thanked the clubs for their commitment to creating the LeagueCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

“We are looking at football through a different lens, planning to make the necessary changes that Brazilian football needed and to change Brazilian football once and for all. From the beginning, I made it clear that we at the CBF would not move forward alone, that we would carry out decentralized management, with the participation of clubs and federations, and the result is here, with a continuation of discussions toward a strong league in Brazilian football. We are reaching a stage of adjustments. Everything we promised at the beginning we have delivered: focusing on the structural changes Brazilian football needed,” said Samir Xaud, President of the Brazilian Football Confederation.

New topics were raised at the meeting, such as the presentation of studies and research on new broadcast windows for matches. The work was carried out based on the schedules of major European leagues, such as the Premier League, Bundesliga, and La Liga.

“Today was our second meeting to discuss the League. We went deeper into some of the issues we had already brought up in the first meeting, namely the effort to implement actions to increase attendance at stadiums, with standardized kickoff times and specific measures to combat violence. We also worked on matters aimed at giving greater protection to young athletes, with regulation of the agent role. We also brought forward measures to combat violence in stadiums, and we had a presentation from the STJD, which has already been introducing measures to reduce procedural time, with the goal of giving greater speed and effectiveness to STJD decisions. We had broad participation from the clubs. There were many debates, suggestions, and some questions on all topics, and we were able to go much deeper into the issues. This connection between the CBF and the clubs will allow us to present increasingly solid and effective measures for Brazilian football,” said Helder Melillo, CBF executive director.

Helder Melillo, CBF executive director, highlighted the new relationship between the CBF and the clubsCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

Palmeiras president Leila Pereira, who was also present at the first meeting, praised the material presented by the CBF and reaffirmed her position as an ally in the league-building process. Pereira addressed the problem of violence in stadiums in light of the figures presented by the CBF at the meeting and also commented on the proposals for a new standardization of match kickoff times.

“It is always a pleasure to be here discussing such a relevant topic as the formation of our league. At this meeting, five topics were addressed that the study groups will examine further so that our league can truly take shape in a way that values Brazilian football. Violence is a major concern for the product and for people. I also commented on the issue of match kickoff times, which is important as well. The clubs will also give their opinion on this topic. The CBF can be absolutely certain that President Leila Pereira and Palmeiras are here to collaborate with whatever is best for Brazilian football,” she said.

Leila Pereira, Palmeiras presidentCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

The infrastructure of the 21 stadiums in Série A of the Brazilian Championship was debated based on a technical assessment prepared by Arena Events+Venues. The study was reviewed and presented based on four pillars: architecture and engineering, pitch, sports lighting, and topography, which covered field dimensions, drainage, and playing surface levels.

“I think this is an important process, bringing together the key stakeholders in football—clubs, federations, and the CBF itself—around a common goal, which is to strengthen Brazilian football and improve our product, the Brazilian Championship. We have started to deal with these matters in a more professional way, with data and information, and that certainly adds a lot. What was done today, especially on the topic of security, which keeps fans away from stadiums, and the issue of match broadcast times, are important advances. The STJD itself, the Youth Development Working Group—these are issues that influence the improvement of the product,” said Alessandro Barcellos, president of Internacional.

One of the highlights of this Monday’s meeting was the creation of the Anti-Violence Commission for Brazilian Football. The Commission will be chaired by Mauro Carmélio Neto, acting president of the Ceará Football Federation. The group will work on four priority fronts in combating violence in Brazilian football: security and access control, case monitoring, player protection, and STJD jurisdiction.

“The CBF is very concerned about violence in stadiums. We felt it was appropriate to create the Anti-Violence Commission for Brazilian Football. With this commission, we will map data, gather information from every state in the country to analyze what can be done, where we can contribute conditions, and create a national database of fans who will no longer be allowed to attend stadiums. That is one of the first points. Another important point is that we will include in the competition regulations that, from now on, training centers may no longer be entered by supporters. We understand that labor legislation itself already addresses this, in terms of taking care of athletes. The training center is the workplace. And finally, we will monitor ongoing court cases involving supporters who committed acts of violence in stadiums. The CBF will take a more active role in seeking out these cases,” said Mauro Carmélio Neto, acting president of the Ceará Football Federation.

Closing the meeting, two proposals were presented: the Sports Justice Modernization Program and the Regulation of Football Agents. Luís Otávio Veríssimo, president of the Superior Court of Sports Justice, assessed the work currently being carried out and the proposal to modernize the Court.

Luís Otávio Veríssimo Teixeira, president of the Superior Court of Sports Justice, highlighted the Modernization Program Credits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

“Based on the structural changes adopted by the CBF—regarding the calendar, the professionalization of refereeing, and the provision of an electronic system to the STJD—we were able to put into practice, since April, a program to reduce judgment deadlines and optimize routines. We are reducing the average time, which historically was 79 days for judgment and completion of judgment in Série A cases at the STJD, to a maximum of 14 days. On average, we currently have 8 days to conclude cases; some end at first instance, others are appealed to the full bench and take a little longer. The 2026 championship will end on the pitch and will also end in sports justice, with no cases carrying over into the following year and frustrating the expectations and competitiveness of the championship, whether for clubs or for the fans,” he said.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.