The two finalists of the Copa do Brasil will be announced this Sunday (14). Corinthians and Vasco have an advantage over Cruzeiro and Fluminense respectively and could play with the possibility of a draw to advance.
The weekend’s sporting successes will fuel fans’ title hopes. And this will represent a significant financial contribution, something that is worth for the four teams still alive in the competition, but especially for Corinthians.
The club’s total debt is around 2.7 billion reais, and that’s not even the biggest number, at least for now. With notorious cash flow problems, the board is trying to balance short-term obligations to breathe in 2026.
One of the emergencies is to pay around 40 million reais to the Mexican Santos Laguna to hire Félix Torres. Due to the failed acquisition of the Ecuadorian defender, the black and white club was sanctioned by FIFA (International Football Federation) with a “transfer ban” and is prohibited from registering players.
This means that if Lionel Messi expresses his desire to play for Corinthians tomorrow on minimum salary, Corinthians will not be able to sign him. It does not seem to be the will of the Argentine star, but perhaps it was that of striker Pedro Rocha, top scorer in Serie B of the Brazilian Championship for Remo, who was interviewed, but who has already signed with Coritiba, without a “transfer ban”.
The pending case concerning Félix Torres is not the only one. The club has already been condemned by FIFA for debts linked to the signings of Rodrigo Garro and Maycon, the latter on loan, and is awaiting convictions from the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport). The club also owes around 45 million reais to midfielder Matías Rojas, who at least seems willing to reach an agreement to avoid yet another sanction.
As you can see, the situation is serious. Qualifying for the Copa do Brasil final and winning R$33.075 million – or even winning it, which would bring in an additional R$44.1 million – won’t solve the problem, but it will provide significant relief in the short term.
President Osmar Stabile has already obtained from one of the control bodies of Corinthians – Cori (Guidance Board) – the authorization to request a loan of R$ 100 million, an advance from the LFU (Liga Forte União) of the agreement on Brazilian broadcasting rights, with a discount on 2026 payments and an interest rate of 17.9% per year.
“Cori left it authorized. We will see if it is necessary or not. If it is, we will have the authorization. If it is not, we will not accept it,” Stabile said, in an obvious reference to the price of the Copa do Brasil – which also offers the possibility of earning revenue from ticket sales thanks to the decision.
This is not what black and white supporters will be thinking about on Sunday from 6 p.m. at the Itaquera stadium. Lacking glory, he just wants the chance to be champion of a national tournament, something he has not celebrated since the 2017 Brazilian Championship. After a great match and a 1-0 victory in Mineirão, in Belo Horizonte, last Wednesday, the team of coach Dorival Júnior will try to protect its advantage in São Paulo.
Then, at 8:30 p.m., on the other side of the table, Fluminense and Vasco will face each other again at the Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro. In the first match, at the same venue, on Thursday (11), Vasco won 2-1, with a goal in stoppage time.
About The Author
