The São Paulo Junior Football Cup 2025 will have a São Paulo classic in its decision. This Wednesday (22), Corinthians eliminated Grêmio, with a 1-0 victory, and will face São Paulo in the final. The confrontation will be next Saturday (25), at Pacaembu, but the stage for the decision could still change.
Responsible for regulating and monitoring security requirements in football stadiums in Brazil, the Ministry of Sports understands that the municipal permit obtained by Allegra Pacaembu to hold the Copinha final at the stadium does not comply with current legislation.
All the regulations of the General Sports Law on the subject require an operating license, but the Pacaembu concessionaire is supported by an authorization license for temporary events, granted by the City of São Paulo on Monday (20), to receive the game on the city’s anniversary.
HAS Sheet, the Ministry of Sports said that the São Paulo Football Federation (FPF) could be punished if it insists on playing the game at Pacaembu without the mandatory documents. “The organizer of the event, FPF, may suffer administrative sanctions for allowing the football match to take place in a stadium that does not yet have the legal documents necessary for the safety of fans,” he stated.
When contacted by the report, the FPF repeated what it has said: that it will organize the Copinha final in Pacaembu “as long as all operational prerequisites are met, as well as the necessary documentation so that the match can be carried out safely for fans and clubs .”
As shown by Sheet Last week, a 2023 ordinance from the Ministry of Sports details the minimum requirements that must be included in technical reports to inspect the safety conditions of stadiums used in sports competitions.
The ordinance, available on the FPF website and cited in the entity’s general competition regulations (RGC), includes the operating license as a mandatory document for obtaining three of the four mandatory reports in games with more than 10 thousand spectators.
Pacaembu does not have an operating license because the document is conditional on the delivery of mandatory works for the entire complex, which the city hall has not yet certified as having happened. Allegra has been pressing, and management says it will release the document in the next few hours.
“I was yesterday (20) with the secretary (of Sports) Rogério Lins, he was analyzing the documentation, and what he told me is that I should possibly sign the acceptance today or tomorrow. He’s just going to make an adjustment to the use of space by the public. What are the days, what times, because this was not foreseen in the contract”, said Mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB), at a press conference.
On Monday, Allegra obtained a specific license for the Copinha final, with a limit of 20 thousand fans and the understanding that the game is not high risk. To this end, the match was classified as a family event, where fans (and non-fans) will only see the game seated.
If it were recognized that the game may involve fans with a history of conflict, that the audience is mainly made up of young adults and that part of the fans remain standing, the match would be classified as high risk and would require stricter criteria for granting the document.
For the Ministry of Sports, if it accepts the event permit, the São Paulo police will assume the risks. “If the CBM (Military Fire Department) of the State of SP accepts, in accordance with specific military legislation, the Authorization Permit for a Temporary Event in replacement of the Operating Permit, this body will assume responsibility for any accidents occurring during the performance of the match. soccer.”
After eliminating Criciúma, São Paulo reached the decision as the team with the best campaign in the youth tournament. This way, you will have control of the field in your favor. As it is a São Paulo classic, only fans of the Morumbi team will be able to watch the match at the stadium — the Tricolor team is looking for its fifth title. Biggest winner of the competition, Corinthians is fighting for the 12th cup.
The two rivals have already faced each other in the decision on two occasions, with one title for each side: in 1993, the party went to São Paulo. The change for the Corinthians came in 2004.
