After Flamengo released an official note criticizing the Brazilian Football Confederation for not postponing matches in the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship, the last before the World Cup, the highest national football entity spoke out and rebutted the red-black club’s action.
In an official note, the CBF stated that the Brasileirão table was defined and unanimously approved by all clubs in December 2025, seven months after FIFA defined the mandatory release date for players for the World Cup. Flamengo’s criticism, it is worth remembering, is that they are “forced” to play against Coritiba even with the absence of athletes called up for the World Cup.
Furthermore, the CBF also says that it “will not support any type of privileged treatment regardless of the size of the crowd or economic power” and refused the possibility of changing the duel against Coritiba to August, since “such a request was rejected, as it would only serve the interests of a club affected by the call-ups: Flamengo itself”.
See CBF note
“Regarding Flamengo’s public note today, in which the club questions the maintenance of the date of the games for the 18th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) comes to clarify the following:
1. The mandatory release date for athletes for the 2026 World Cup was defined by FIFA in May 2025 and this information was reiterated in different documents and official communications.
2. The 2026 Brazilian football calendar was presented, debated and approved by all Serie A clubs, unanimously in December 2025. The dates of the rounds, including the 18th, as well as the stoppage period for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, were widely discussed in the competition’s Technical Council, with the participation of all clubs. The CBF does not impose a calendar on clubs: it implements one that is constructed and validated together with the associations.
3. In none of these moments did Flamengo suggest postponing or changing the 18th round. This only happened after Flamengo’s elimination from the Copa do Brasil, when the club started to suggest rescheduling the Flamengo x Coritiba game to a date reserved for the Copa do Brasil in the second half of the year. This request was rejected, as it would only serve the interests of a club affected by the call-ups: Flamengo itself.
4. The current management of the CBF does not believe and will not support any type of privileged treatment in the sporting field, regardless of the size of the crowd or economic power. Several clubs were affected by the call-ups for the World Cup and any solution designed to address just one isolated case would represent a direct violation of the principle of sporting equality that governs the current management of the CBF.
5. The 2026 Brazilian football calendar showed clear developments, such as the reduction of State Championships and the start of the Brazilian Championship in January. The CBF reaffirms its commitment to working towards the permanent evolution of the calendar and the construction of a balanced competitive environment, through structural and collective solutions, and not through specific decisions that benefit specific interests.
6. Finally, the CBF registers its unrestricted support for the construction of a league led by clubs, based on equal treatment between competition participants and respect for previously agreed rules. The success of the league project depends on each club respecting throughout the competition the decisions approved by everyone before the start of the championship, and not seeking exclusive solutions that grant privileged treatment depending on the circumstances.“
Understand the case
Flamengo strongly criticized the CBF this Saturday morning (23), the date of the duel with Palmeiras, due to the non-postponement of the games in the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship, which are scheduled for next weekend. In an official note, the Rio club spoke about the lack of equality, as it will play without many players due to the World Cup.
Danilo, Léo Pereira, Alex Sandro and Lucas Paquetá have already been called up to the Brazilian team. Flamengo can still see Plata, in Ecuador, Carrascal, in Colombia, and the trio Varela, De la Cruz and Arrascaeta being called up by the Uruguay national team.
Because of this, the club suggests the need to create a new league, with the clubs organizing the championship – read the full note below.
“The creation of an organized league in Brazil is more than urgent. The CBF is important in this process and must actively participate in this construction, but understanding that this is a movement led by the associations… the Brazilian Championship needs to be thought of and conducted from the perspective of the clubs, their athletes, their fans and their investors and in strengthening the product itself”, says the club.
Also according to the club’s statement, the solution could be to postpone the game to August 4th, as Flamengo was eliminated from the Copa do Brasil and the date would be free on the calendar.
