SAFiel: Corinthians brands belong to the community, not just the club | OneFootball

The SAFiel project, which proposes transforming Corinthians into a Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF) with capital distributed among fan investors, made a public statement this Wednesday (4) after the club presented opposition to the request for registration of the “SAFIEL” trademark with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI).

In a note published on social media, SAFiel classified the current club management’s initiative as an interpretation that treats Corinthians as “exclusive property,” rather than as a collective asset of its fanbase. According to the movement, the arguments presented by the club in its opposition do not hold up from a technical standpoint, and the appropriate measures have already been taken to ensure the continuation of the registration process.

President Osmar Stabile met with SAFiel representatives in September 2025. Photo: Publicity

“SAFiel will continue to work to secure the registration of the trademarks, with the commitment to ultimately allocate them to the Corinthians collective,” the statement says. The group also highlighted the recent mobilization of fans in Brasília, last Sunday (1st), as a demonstration of unity between the club and its supporters, and concluded by stating that “the democratization of Corinthians is inevitable.”

Opposition Presented by Corinthians

SAFiel’s position comes after Corinthians formally filed, on October 24, 2025, an opposition to the request for registration of the “SAFIEL” trademark, submitted by the company Invasão Fiel S.A. The information was initially reported by the Boletim Corinthiano and confirmed by Central do Timão, which had access to the document.

In the petition sent to the INPI, the club argues that the registration request violates trademark rights consolidated over decades, as well as posing a risk of consumer confusion and improper association with the institutional identity of Corinthians and its fans.

One of the main arguments presented by the club is the historical and widely recognized association of the term “FIEL” with Corinthians. According to the document, the term is a distinctive element of the institution, directly linked to its fanbase, nationally known as “Fiel Torcida.”

Corinthians claims to have held registrations for the “FIEL” trademark and its variations since 1978, including in the same class of products sought by the SAFIEL brand, which would guarantee it exclusive rights throughout the national territory. For the club, the trademark requested by Invasão Fiel S.A. fully reproduces the distinctive core “FIEL,” with only the prefix “SA” added, which would not be enough to eliminate the phonetic, visual, and ideological similarity between the marks.

According to the opposition, this composition could lead the average consumer to believe that the products or services offered have an official origin, licensing, or institutional link with Corinthians.

The petition also notes that both brands would operate in the same market segment, aimed at products for fans, which would increase the risk of confusion in the market. The club also points out similarities in the visual identity of the SAFIEL brand compared to other already registered brands, such as “FIEL” and “FIEL PAG,” which reinforces the impression of a similar set, according to the club.

Furthermore, Corinthians claims that SAFiel uses, in its digital channels, direct references to the club, such as the name “Corinthians” and the nickname “Timão,” without formal authorization, which would constitute misleading advertising, unfair competition, and parasitic exploitation of the black-and-white brand’s reputation.

Legal Basis and Request to INPI

The opposition presented by the club is mainly based on Article 124, items XIX and XXIII, of the Industrial Property Law, which prohibits the registration of trademarks that reproduce or imitate already registered signs when there is a possibility of confusion or improper association. Corinthians also invokes Article 87 of the Pelé Law, which guarantees sports entities exclusive ownership of their names, symbols, and designations, regardless of prior registration.

At the end of the document, the club requests that the INPI acknowledge and uphold the opposition and deny the registration request for the SAFIEL trademark, due to violation of previously established trademark rights and the concrete risk of consumer confusion.

The administrative process is still ongoing at the INPI and should move on to the adversarial phase, in which the company Invasão Fiel S.A. may present its formal statement. The federal agency will then analyze the arguments of both parties before issuing a decision on the registration request.

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