Court confirms Corinthians own “Campeão dos Campeões” anthem

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Central do Timão

·21 February 2026

Court confirms Corinthians own “Campeão dos Campeões” anthem

By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial Team

After three years of legal dispute, Corinthians obtained a definitive decision regarding the song “Champion of Champions,” its official anthem. The court recognized that the work belongs entirely to the alvinegro club, ending the controversy.

The case was filed at the end of January, a few months after a ruling that had already been favorable to Corinthians. At the time, the club celebrated the decision through an official statement but awaited the possibility of new appeals from the publishers involved in the action.

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Photo: Alexandre Kocinas/Corinthians

“Although the decisions of the first and second instances are extremely favorable, the case has not yet reached a final judgment, which means there may still be appeals to higher courts. However, the grounds presented in both judgments demonstrate the solidity of Corinthians' position”, said the club at the time.

The action was filed in January 2023 in the São Paulo Court of Justice against the publishers Musical Corisco and Musiclave. The aim was to ensure the right to use the anthem without the need for payment.

The companies claimed that Corinthians did not own the song nor had rights over it. They also argued that there was no proof of ownership by the club and defended that the music could be freely exploited.

The publishers stated they were harmed by the first-instance decision, which recognized as valid a verbal agreement made in 1955 between the club and composer Benedito Lauro D’Avila, who passed away in 1985, authorizing the free use of the work. They questioned the existence of this contract.

“He (Benedito Lauro) would never do it with anyone, as everything with him was always documented. This agreement never existed. Corinthians claims a verbal contract was made in 1955, even though the composer only passed away in 1985 and left no document,” they pointed out to the court.

In the publishers' view, there was no evidence or witness to confirm the alleged verbal agreement, which they classified as “absurd.”

Corinthians, on the other hand, argued that it always used the anthem without ever making payments or receiving charges, besides considering the arguments presented by the publishers as empty and offensive. The club maintained that the composition was a tribute made by Benedito Lauro D’Avila, which is why there was never financial compensation for the execution of the work.

With the final judgment and the filing of the case, the discussion about the ownership of “Champion of Champions” comes to an end, with definitive recognition of Corinthians' right over the anthem.

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