João Gabriel claim on Benfica District disputed by club and city council | OneFootball

According to Glorioso 1904, Benfica District is at the centre of a row after João Gabriel said Lisbon City Council had given a negative opinion, a claim denied by both the club and the council.

Gabriel, a former Benfica director, wrote on LinkedIn that the municipality had rejected the project, adding that he hoped any setback would be treated as a chance to rethink the plan.

Benfica subsequently stated that the project had not been voted down by the municipality, contradicting Gabriel’s version.

The council said the final Benfica District plan was lodged on 18 September, already reflecting several changes it had requested. The dossier remains under assessment, with no definitive decision to reject at this stage.

The project envisages a major revamp of the area around Estádio da Luz, adding new facilities for sport, entertainment, retail and athlete support. Benfica’s schedule still targets submitting the base programme in 2026, finalising the execution project and starting construction in 2027, with phased completion through 2029.

Source: Glorioso 1904

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