Record growth: Vasco members up 53% before key week at São Januário | OneFootball

Vasco is experiencing one of the best moments in its recent history in its fan membership program. According to a survey published by GE, the number of active Sócio Gigante members jumped from 44,150 in July 2025 to 67,739 in January 2026, an expansion of 53% in just six months. This put the club in fifth place among the Brazilian football fan membership programs with the highest percentage growth in the period, behind only Mirassol, Chapecoense, Cuiabá, and CRB.

The growth comes alongside a recent restructuring of the plans on offer. The most complete plan, Gigante, costs R$ 199.98 per month and guarantees a 75% discount on tickets in all sections of São Januário, as well as priority in the second sales window. Camisas Negras, aimed at those looking for a more affordable monthly fee, costs R$ 11.98 and offers a 30% discount, sixth-wave priority, and a delivery coupon for Zé Delivery. There is also Coração Infantil, a plan aimed at children up to 11 years old, priced at R$ 9.98.

The surge in members came at a particularly sensitive point in the calendar. After a 1-0 defeat to Vitória when the Brasileirão resumed, Vasco dropped to 17th place, in the relegation zone, in the very week it had two decisive home fixtures: on July 25, against Mirassol in the Brasileirão, and on the 29th, against Independiente Medellín, with a place in the Copa Sudamericana round of 16 on the line after falling behind twice and salvaging a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Medellín. At that moment, the membership base worked as a direct mobilizing factor, since priority in the ticket sales windows is one of the central benefits of the plans.

The growth of the membership program carries extra weight because Vasco is still without a shirt sponsor this season, which strengthens the commercial appeal of alternative revenue initiatives. According to a report by O Povo, the club ran a QR code campaign in May in the prime space on the kit, generating more than 17,000 unique accesses and 3,112 new registrations on Vasco ID in a single day. Learn more about the marketing campaign. In this scenario, every source of recurring revenue, from memberships to ticket sales, carries additional weight in the club’s financial planning.

Fan mobilization is also being fueled by a front that has almost gone unnoticed amid the fight against relegation: Vasco is still alive in the Copa do Brasil. After eliminating Paysandu in the fifth round, Cruz-Maltino advanced to the round of 16 and will replay last year’s semifinal against Fluminense, with the first leg scheduled for early August. The betting odds at KTO place Vasco tied for fifth among the favorites to win the 2026 Copa do Brasil, alongside Atlético-MG.

For the board, the combination of an expanding membership base and a run of decisive matches at home and away, from the Brasileirão to the Sudamericana and the Copa do Brasil, is seen as an opportunity to turn recurring revenue into results on the pitch, even though the main challenge remains sporting: to earn points against Mirassol and advance in the Sudamericana before turning attention back to the derby against Fluminense in August.

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