Nearly Half of Brasileirão Clubs Exceed Foreign Player Limit for 2027 - 23/09/2026 - Sports - Folha de S.Paulo

The CBF has approved changes limiting the presence of foreign players at Brazilian clubs, in an attempt to make room for young players developed through youth academies. Currently, up to nine foreign players can be included in a Brasileirão matchday squad; starting in 2027, the limit will fall to eight, in a gradual process that will bring it down to five by 2030. Clubs will be allowed to keep as many foreign players as they want in their squads, but will have to reduce the number included in each matchday squad.

Of the 20 Série A clubs in 2026, nine already exceed the limit of eight. Vasco and Internacional top the list, with 12 foreign players each, followed by Botafogo and Athletico-PR (11) and Flamengo and Grêmio (10). Mirassol is the only club with none. Série A has a total of 161 foreign players, about 25% of the total, up from 157 in 2025 — a share well below that of leagues such as the Premier League (72%). Flamengo and Bahia were the only clubs to vote against the measure.

Helder Melillo, the CBF's executive director, said that "Brazilian players under 23 are playing less and less" and that the proportion of foreign players has grown in recent years. Thiago Freitas, of Roc Nation Sports, criticized the decision, saying it penalizes "better-managed clubs, capable of seeking out the best players, wherever they may be from."