CBF chief says no return to play in sight as clubs move to financial cliff-edge

April 14 – The secretary general of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) Walter Feldman has said that Brazilian football won’t return to action any time soon. 

In March, the CBF suspended all Brazilian football indefinitely after protests from players and clubs. Brazil’s state federations then followed the CBF’s lead in postponing the state championship. In an interview with Reuters, Feldman has indicated that the domestic game will remain on lockdown for the foreseeable future.

“There is hope,” said Feldman. “Is May possible? I’d say it’s a hope but we can’t say it is an expectation. We don’t think anyone can return to action until the health authorities advise them so. Their voice is decisive in any decision.”

The global health crisis has upended the Brazilian season. The state federations could restart the state championships without the CBF’s authorisation, but the national championship was due to kick off at the start of May.

Smaller, provincial clubs depend on the state championships for their income and survival whereas a considerable number of major clubs need the match-day revenue and TV rights income from the national league to balance the books.

Brazil has 23,732 confirmed cases of the coronavirus with 1,355 people having lost their lives after contracting the virus, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University. The South American country has, however, become deeply polarized by president Jair Bolsonaro’s erratic response to the outbreak of the disease.

Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1711658753labto1711658753ofdlr1711658753owedi1711658753sni@o1711658753fni1711658753