CBF meets clubs and FAs at MLS to discuss US league model

On Friday (12), in New York, the CBF held the first meeting of the new phase of its international immersion program, aimed at helping build a league model for Brazilian football. The agenda brought together representatives from clubs in Série A and Série B of the Brazilian Championship, presidents of state federations, and CBF officials for a visit to Major League Soccer (MLS), the United States’ soccer league.

The initiative is a continuation of the work started in January this year, when a delegation led by the CBF took part in meetings with executives from the Premier League, Bundesliga, and La Liga to learn about different sports and commercial management models in professional football.

CBF brings together clubs and federations on visit to MLS to discuss the league model in the United StatesCredits: Nelson Terme / CBF

During the visit to MLS headquarters, participants learned about the strategies that have driven MLS’s recent growth, especially in areas such as commercial properties.

Among the executives who took part in the meetings were Nelson Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of Sporting Product and Competitions; Chris Schlosser, Vice President of Digital Platforms at MLS and the partnership with Apple; Pablo Zarate, Vice President of International Properties at MLS and Soccer United Marketing (SUM); and Lorenzo de La Garza, Manager of International Properties.

CBF president Samir Xaud highlighted the importance of bringing Brazilian football closer to the leading international benchmarks in sports management.

“We are building an environment of permanent dialogue among clubs, federations, and the CBF. Learning about successful experiences, understanding different business models, and observing solutions adopted by other leagues is essential to developing a solid project adapted to the reality of Brazilian football,” said Xaud.

CBF vice president Gustavo Dias Henrique says this phase of the immersion is another initiative built collectively with clubs and federationsCredits: Nelson Terme / CBF

CBF vice president Gustavo Dias Henrique stressed that the agenda of exchanging experiences with major international success stories strengthens the process of collective construction, one of the hallmarks of the current administration.

“We are not simply looking to copy models, but to broaden access to strategies that have worked abroad so we can bring over what makes sense for our experience in Brazil and can strengthen the national football ecosystem,” he said.

For CBF executive director Helder Melillo, the visit to MLS made it possible to broaden the range of discussions surrounding the future Brazilian league.

“In January, we met with the Bundesliga, Premier League, and La Liga. Now we are taking advantage of the World Cup being held in the United States to gain a deeper understanding of MLS, a league that has shown significant growth in recent years, especially in the commercial area. It was an important opportunity to understand different forms of organization, governance, and the use of commercial properties, and to deepen the discussions we have been promoting in meetings with these clubs and federations for the creation of the league in Brazil,” he said.

For Helder Melillo, CBF executive director, the trip to MLS was a major learning experience, especially regarding commercial properties in sportsCredits: Nelson Terme / CBF

Among the participants, the first meeting in this stage of the Immersion was considered productive. Sport Club Internacional president Alessandro Barcellos highlighted the lessons learned from the visit to MLS.

“It was very important to closely understand how a relatively new league operates in a market where soccer still competes for space with other sports. MLS has a very aggressive commercial organization and mechanisms aimed at maintaining competitive balance. We are taking away ideas and processes that will certainly contribute to the path we are building together with the CBF in shaping a single league for Brazilian football,” said Barcellos.

Hélio Cury, president of the Paraná State Football Federation, also praised the initiative, which helps strengthen ties among the CBF, federations, and clubs.

“The immersion promoted by the CBF was extremely positive and productive. We were exposed to new ideas and different ways of organizing and commercializing the football industry. Above all, it became clear that the unity among clubs, federations, and the CBF represents a path capable of generating benefits for all of Brazilian football,” he said.

For Hélio Cury Filho, president of the Paraná State Football Federation, unity among the CBF, federations, and clubs creates a path of benefits for Brazilian footballCredits: Nelson Terme / CBF

Bruno Costa, head of the CBF International Office, highlighted the entity’s role in fostering institutional ties with organizations that are global references in sports.

“It was a very important opportunity to bring Brazilian executives closer to one of the fastest-growing leagues in world football. American sports are globally recognized for excellence in management, and this connection strengthens institutional relationships, reduces distances, and creates opportunities for projects that are already being developed for the benefit of Brazilian football,” he said.

CBF international office head Bruno Costa believes the meeting brings the CBF increasingly closer to organizations that are benchmarks in global sportsCredits: Nelson Terme / CBF

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.