La Liga Joins Proposal for Brazilian Breakaway League

A consortium that includes Spain’s La Liga has presented a proposal to Brazil’s elite soccer clubs to create a new league that would operate independently of the Brazilian Football Confederation.

The proposal — backed by financial services firm XP and management consultancy firm Alvarez & Marsal — is an effort to provide clubs with a greater say in how Brazilian soccer is operated. 

• The new league could start competition as early as this year or 2023.
• Investors have pledged between $750 million and $1 billion toward the league. 

Unlike other top-flight soccer leagues across the world, Brazil’s professional clubs and national teams are controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation. 

The consortium’s proposal marks an ongoing effort to provide financial stability and business development for clubs without oversight from the confederation. In July 2021, clubs in Brazil’s top-flight Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A also submitted proposals to create a breakaway league.

La Liga’s Reach

Last November, La Liga secured an eight-year broadcasting extension with Televisa in a deal reportedly worth $560 million. The same month, La Liga signed a $1.4 billion deal with ESPN for U.S broadcasting rights — the richest U.S. broadcasting deal for a European league.

Broadcasters pay roughly $115 million each year for rights to La Liga in North Africa and the Middle East, and around $100 million per year for rights in China.