Sports
Flamengo Proposes Artificial Turf Ban in Report to CBF
A 70-page document suggests standardizing natural or hybrid pitches, a 15% revenue share in a new league, and a winter break.
Flamengo has sent a 70-page document to the Brazilian Football Confederation proposing structural reforms for domestic soccer. Key proposals include banning synthetic turf in the top two divisions and adjusting the match calendar.
Flamengo sent a 70-page document to the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) proposing structural changes to Brazilian soccer, modeled after successful international leagues. The proposal aims to establish a new national league and outlines the club's conditions for joining, including a 15% share of total revenue, an exit clause if conditions are not met, and a complete ban on artificial turf in Série A and Série B.
In the video above, Bernardo Ramos analyzes the guidelines outlined in Flamengo's document and evaluates the technical impact of synthetic pitches in Brazilian stadiums. In Ramos's view, banning artificial turf is the right move, given that the world's leading soccer leagues rely exclusively on natural grass.
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Pitch standardization and artificial turf criticism
According to Ramos, weather conditions or hosting entertainment events should not serve as excuses for installing synthetic surfaces. The journalist points out that clubs such as Palmeiras, Atlético Mineiro, Botafogo, Chapecoense, and Atlético Paranaense use artificial turf, noting that Atlético Paranaense's surface is notably low quality. The advocated alternative is standardizing on natural or hybrid pitches, citing Corinthians' Neo Química Arena as a successful benchmark.
Ramos also highlights the substantial ongoing investment required to maintain natural grass, pointing to the expenses borne by Flamengo and Fluminense at the Maracanã. For the commentator, artificial surfaces compromise the pace and technical quality of matches, making regulatory intervention essential.
Calendar reform and Brazil's league history
Beyond pitch standards and revenue sharing, the document presented by Flamengo president BAP proposes standardized kickoff windows and a 21-day (three-week) winter break for player recovery and squad preparation. Ramos believes such initiatives should be spearheaded by the CBF itself in its governance role, rather than depending on isolated proposals from individual clubs.
The debate over independent leagues in Brazil comes with complex historical baggage. Ramos recalls the 1987 initiative—five years before the founding of the Premier League—which collapsed amid political disputes involving Eurico Miranda, as well as the eventual dissolution of the Clube dos 13 between 2010 and 2011. In the analyst's view, proactive proposals like Flamengo's are far more constructive for the sport's institutional progress than club executives who criticize without offering solutions, pointing to Palmeiras president Leila Pereira.
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