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CBF's US Strategy: How Brazil's League Reform Connects to MLS

CBF held an inaugural meeting with representatives of clubs from the Brazilian Serie A and B championships and the State Federations to begin the debate on the creation of a Football League in Brazil, with CBF president Samir Xaud calling it "a historic day for Brazilian football" as clubs came together "to discuss an issue that will define our future: the creation of a single league." The meetings represent the latest phase in CBF's broader internationalization strategy, which includes bringing Brazilian stakeholders to the United States to study league governance models.

CBF's Miami Office as Strategic Hub

The move marks the first step in a broader global network designed to strengthen the CBF brand, deepen commercial partnerships, engage the Brazilian diaspora, and expand technical collaboration with the United States Soccer Federation and Major League Soccer. Located near key stakeholders such as FIFA and CONCACAF, the Miami office operates as an embassy for Brazilian football, supporting sponsorship deals, institutional relationships, youth scouting initiatives, and women's development.

Since opening the Miami office five to six months ago, CBF has already seen tangible results, closing new agreements with major companies such as Uber, Volkswagen, and iFood. These partnerships are the direct result of the relationships and communication being built from Miami within the broader CBF ecosystem.

Learning from MLS Governance Structure

The analysis was deepened following an international immersion in Europe in January, when the Brazilian delegation learned about concepts, governance models and strategies used by the leagues and federations of England, Germany and Spain on topics such as financial fair play, technology and the professionalization of refereeing. The US meetings extend this research to North American models, particularly MLS's structure.

The national governing organisation said that the league is undervalued and presented a plan to finalise the league's statutes by the end of 2026. If successful, the process could end the competition's division into two rival blocks of clubs – FFU and Libra – which has handicapped the league. At present, the two blocks compete over revenue and commercial rights.

The Structural Challenge

CBF presented studies carried out since the first months of the current administration to show the full untapped potential of Brazilian football, whose top national division is nevertheless the sixth most valuable league in the world. The CBF listed a series of problems that needed addressing in Brazilian club football, including the match calendar, kick-off times, stadium infrastructure, financial fair play and marketing.

"The league needs to belong to the clubs. That is a fundamental, non-negotiable principle. CBF will be present, with an active role as mediator and one of the leaders of the process." This approach mirrors MLS's club-centric governance model, where individual franchises maintain significant autonomy within a centralized structure.

Implications for US Soccer

Today, there is significant movement between Brazil and MLS. Many Brazilian players are coming to MLS, and there are also transfers from MLS clubs to the Brazilian league, which is organized by CBF. Because of this exchange, it's essential for CBF to stay informed and bring the best insights and information back into our ecosystem.

A unified Brazilian league could strengthen the player pipeline between Brazil and MLS, particularly as the 2026 World Cup approaches. International groups such as City Group and Red Bull GmbH have invested in Brazilian clubs, representing an important cultural change for Brazilian football and bringing the model closer, in some ways, to what we see in the United States. In Brazil, investors can now own clubs, but the leagues and competitions are still organized and run by the CBF.

CBF's US presence positions Brazilian football to capitalize on North America's growing soccer market while potentially creating more structured pathways for talent exchange and commercial partnerships with MLS ahead of the World Cup.

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