Recent history of the CBF and several state federations does not help to create immediate confidence
The CBF released the new Competitions Manual for 2026. At first glance, this is a clear and welcome advance. Among the positive points are:
- Modernization of standards;
- Unification of rules that were previously scattered across several documents;
- Alignment with FIFA and UEFA international standards;
- Express prohibition on multi-ownership, to avoid conflicts of interest;
- Greater emphasis on integrity, human rights and Financial Fair Play.
O full document is available on the CBF networks and website. It’s long, but worth checking out for anyone who follows the topic closely. The big one remains the same as always: oversight.
The recent history of the CBF and several state federations does not help to create immediate confidence.
Pretty rules on paper have existed before; What is missing, historically, is consistent application, without a “little way” or differentiated treatment. It is still too early to see practical results.
The real test will come in the first concrete cases of the season: will Financial Fair Play really be charged?
Will punishments, when necessary, be carried out in an equal and timely manner?
In short: on paper, the Manual represents an important step in modernization and commitment to good practices. But success (or failure) will depend on courage and consistency at the right time.
For now, the best advice is a cautious optimism.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
