CBF unveils financial restructuring support scheme for Série B clubs | OneFootball

Arbitral Council Meeting brought major news for Série B, such as the PARF-B and the creation of playoffsCredits: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced, during the Série B Arbitral Council meeting this Thursday (5th), the creation of the Financial Restructuring Support Program for Série B Clubs (PARF-B). The initiative aims to strengthen the economic sustainability of the competition, linking the entity's financial support to the clubs’ commitment to financial responsibility and good management practices. During the meeting, the creation of playoffs between the teams finishing the competition in 3rd to 6th place was also decided.

CBF has once again given a concrete demonstration of valuing its products with the announcement of PARF-B, a move that guarantees financial stability and competitive balance for this year’s Série B edition. Through the program, CBF confirms it will continue to fully finance logistics expenses (transportation and accommodation), anti-doping tests, and refereeing fees for the competition.

However, starting this season, the maintenance of this benefit will be strictly conditioned on meeting a series of requirements that are part of the framework of the Financial Sustainability System (Financial Fair Play) created by CBF, requiring collaboration and transparency from the clubs in return.

For CBF president Samir Xaud, the outcome of the meeting was as expected by both CBF and the clubs. “It was a very productive meeting. We are rebuilding our championships. It’s a product that had been devalued and we are working on increasing its value. We reached a common denominator, found a way to enhance our product, further increase its value, and help the clubs, thinking about their financial health as a whole, reaching a management model that we are implementing here at CBF. Nothing could be fairer than for CBF to continue helping the clubs financially, covering some expenses, but in return, the clubs must show this financial control,” said Xaud.

CBF president Samir Xaud celebrated the outcome of the meeting, which gave growth prospects for Série BCredits: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

According to CBF vice-president Gustavo Henrique Dias, the measure, studied by CBF’s technical staff, demonstrates CBF’s responsibility towards its members. “CBF will always seek the best for its members and the best for the competition. We want to correct the mistakes of the past and try to forge a path so that this competition is valued. It’s a competition that the public likes, that is highly contested. We are very happy with the meeting,” said Dias.

Among club representatives, the outcome of the Arbitral Council meeting brought a sense of renewal for Série B. Guilherme Bellintani, owner of Londrina’s SAF, believes that the combination of a new competition format and the requirement of fiscal and financial responsibility from the clubs represents a prosperous path for Série B.

“I think Série B comes out of here absolutely renewed. The change in the competition model, including the playoffs, means that even until the last moment of the competition, the middle of the table will still be fighting for promotion. That’s very positive, I think the public wins, the fans win, the clubs win. And regarding each club’s finances, especially, what we see is a somewhat unprecedented move by CBF, which is to support the logistics financing process, a historic procedure in the relationship between clubs and CBF, but to go further, conditioning this to compliance with the first rules of Financial Fair Play,” he said.

For CBF vice-president Gustavo Henrique Dias, the entity once again demonstrated responsibility towards its member clubsCredits: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

The creation of PARF-B and the balance that the measure will bring to the competition was also praised by Náutico and São Bernardo, clubs that were already supported by signing a commercial agreement directly with CBF, but who also showed support for the measure, in favor of a more equitable competition.

“The biggest dilemma was the issue of the two blocs that formed in Série B, which were Náutico and São Bernardo, the other 18 clubs, and the logistics issue. And CBF brought an intelligent solution that fosters competition. In other words, it’s not a decision that leaves clubs without support. Once again, it’s a situation where everyone wins, CBF wins, and football wins, because everything, in the end, will point to the issue of the manager’s responsibility with Financial Fair Play,” said Náutico president Bruno Becker.

Bruno Becker, president of Náutico, believes that CBF brought an intelligent solution for this year’s Série B seasonCredits: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

Competition Format

Another major novelty is the change in the competition format, with the creation of a playoff system at the end of the 38 rounds of the round-robin, involving the four clubs placed from 3rd to 6th. With the proposal, approved by a majority of votes from the club representatives present, the two remaining promotion spots will be decided at the end of home-and-away matches, with the 3rd place facing the 6th, and the 4th playing against the 5th.

“Seeking possibilities to create greater commercial value, greater attractiveness for the Série B competition, we proposed for debate and voting among the 20 clubs present at the Council meeting, the cherry on top of today’s meeting, with the implementation of the Playoff. Starting this year in Série B, the clubs that finish from third to sixth, that is, these four clubs, will play two matches, home and away, to determine the last two clubs that will be promoted along with the first and second place in the overall standings to Série A in 2027,” said Julio Avellar, CBF’s competitions director.

CBF competitions director Julio Avellar believes that the changes defined in the meeting can bring greater commercial opportunities for Série BCredits: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

Another major change was the clubs’ decision to alter the initial calendar, which had planned a break during the World Cup period, to include Série B matches while the World Cup is taking place. For Avellar, this measure may raise the technical level of the competition.

“With this, we will be able to space out the games more, which increases the technical level, helps in preparation and physical recovery of the athletes, and even in the clubs’ logistics,” he concluded.

Excellence and Monitoring Criteria

PARF-B is being designed to reward responsible management and transparency. To remain in the program and benefit from the coverage of operational expenses, clubs must comply with the requirements of the new CBF Financial Sustainability System (SSF).

In addition to the system’s general rules, participants must observe new specific performance and compliance indicators, focused on solvency, management modernization, and transparency. The technical details of these indicators will be presented in their own regulation, to be published by CBF by the end of February.

Guilherme Bellintani, from Londrina’s SAF, believes that Série B was “renewed” with the decisions of the meetingCredits: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

The monitoring of indicators and auditing of the information provided will be the responsibility of the National Agency for Football Regulation and Sustainability (ANRESF), an independent institution created by CBF specifically for the oversight and management of the entity’s Financial Fair Play.

The goal is to foster a safer business environment, where the resources saved by clubs through exemption from operational costs are effectively directed to settling liabilities and internal restructuring.

Rules for Remaining in the Program

Enrollment in the program is optional, but oversight will be continuous throughout the championship. If the regulatory agency identifies non-compliance with the management and governance requirements stipulated in the regulations, the club will be subject to exclusion from the program.

In this scenario of non-compliance, the club will immediately lose the CBF subsidy and will become solely responsible for paying its own logistics and refereeing costs until the end of the competition.

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