Vasco, Botafogo and Fluminense among nine Série A clubs with overdue player payments | OneFootball

Nine of the 20 clubs in Brazil’s Série A have overdue payments to players, covering salaries, image rights or signing-on fees, with Vasco among them. PaponaColina reports that the defaulters are all from the country’s traditional elite, underlining a deep-rooted issue.

Of the 12 sides widely regarded as Brazil’s biggest, nine carry outstanding amounts to their squads: Atlético-MG, Botafogo, Corinthians, Fluminense, Grêmio, Internacional, São Paulo, Santos and Vasco.

Vasco has, however, consistently rejected claims of delays under Pedrinho’s stewardship. The president has maintained that wages are up to date.

The findings jar with unprecedented revenue in the Brazilian game, driven by television money, international prize funds and major player sales. Botafogo accumulated seven FIFA sanctions over debts exceeding R$ 200 million, then shed those penalties without paying after its SAF entered judicial recovery.

The problem extends beyond the top flight, with 11 of the 20 Série B clubs also in arrears. A Financial Fair Play agency began oversight in 2026, yet little appears to have shifted in practice.

The picture is sobering for supporters, Vasco or otherwise. In a league awash with record sums, only a few clubs seem able to keep their books balanced, and players are bearing the brunt.

Source: PaponaColina