Flamengo calls for ban on artificial pitches in Brazilian football

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·11 de noviembre de 2025

Flamengo calls for ban on artificial pitches in Brazilian football

The CBF has been discussing the creation of a Financial Sustainability System (SSF) for Brazilian football. In the wake of this movement, Flamengo sent its written position to the responsible committee with a series of proposals, including the prohibition of artificial pitches in Brazil.

“Plastic pitches must be immediately eliminated from all national professional tournaments. The discrepancy in maintenance costs between natural and artificial pitches causes financial imbalances among clubs and harms the physical health of players and athletes,” the text states.

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Palmeiras, Flamengo's rival in the fight for the Libertadores and Brasileirão titles, is one of the clubs that hosts its games in stadiums with artificial grass. The rivalry between the green-and-whites and the red-and-blacks intensified this Monday, with the controversy surrounding the penalties of Bruno Henrique and Allan in the STJD.

In the document, Flamengo states that it is actively participating in discussions to create a Brazilian model of financial fair play. The idea with the series of proposals, according to the club, is to contribute to the improvement of governance and sustainability practices.

Sente essa vibe, Nação! ❤️🖤 Cada grito, cada batida, cada emoção, a Nação mostrou que é coração que pulsa forte! Foram 130 decibéis de pura paixão e uma história pra eternizar no Maraca! Reviva essa energia e garanta as ofertas do Mengão no app da @Shopee_br! 🛍️🧡
– lunes, 10 de noviembre de 2025

Check out Flamengo's document in full:

The Clube de Regatas do Flamengo has been actively participating in discussions about the Football Sustainability System (SSF), a Brazilian model of Financial Fair Play, conducted by the committee established by the CBF.

With the aim of contributing to the improvement of governance and sustainability practices in Brazilian football, Flamengo sent its detailed written position to the responsible committee. Flamengo's commitment transcends numbers, dedicating itself to the sport, fair competition, and a Fair Play that represents the true principles of football.

Some proposals presented by the Club:

Treatment of clubs in RJ/REJ: prevent clubs from using the period of non-payment of debts (between the declaration of RJ/REJ and the approval of the agreement) as a competitive advantage, blocking the registration of new athletes during this period and loss of points.
Broad definition of costs: control not only the “payroll” (CLT) but also the total cost of the squad, including image rights, signing bonuses, commissions for agents, and taxes.
Blocking accounting loopholes: prevent the costs of professional men's football from being “disguised” as investments in youth categories or women's football through fictitious allocations.
Minimum cash control: Implement leading indicators, such as the need for healthy working capital, to prevent liquidity crises.
Transactions with related parties: disregard or limit transactions between related parties (e.g., club and company owned by the same owner) that may inflate revenues or hide costs. Capital contributions, for example, should not be accounted for as recurring revenue.
Use of ratings: adopt a classification system (like the one used by specialized consultancies), where clubs with better management (high rating) have more leeway, creating an incentive for good governance.
Effective sanctions: focus sanctions on restricting transfer windows, and ensure they are fully enforced, even if the cause of the punishment is resolved, to discourage procrastination.
Implementation of the “Owners and Directors Test”: creation of an assessment composed of rules and criteria to determine if new (or potential) owners and directors of a club are fit for the position. The goal is to protect the image and integrity of the competition and clubs, ensuring that individuals managing or acquiring clubs are trustworthy and have proven financial capability.
Effective Enforceability of the System: implement equipped governance to execute automatic punishments, based on factual and financial data, including the application of punishments and restrictions.
Prohibition of Artificial Pitches: plastic pitches must be immediately eliminated from all national professional tournaments. The discrepancy in maintenance costs between natural and artificial pitches causes financial imbalances among clubs and harms the physical health of players and athletes.

The Clube de Regatas do Flamengo will continue to participate in the development and implementation of the Football Sustainability System (SSF), as proposed by the Brazilian Football Confederation, and already congratulates the entity for the commendable initiative.

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