Transforming Brazilian football through regulation: a study of state power, public interest and market imperatives

This article aims to analyse the regulation and institutional transformations of Brazilian football between 1993 and 2023, focusing on key legislative frameworks. A qualitative approach involving documentary analysis and reflexive thematic analysis was adopted. The findings reveal that the Brazilian state has acted simultaneously as regulator and market facilitator, promoting the professionalization and commercialization of football while reinforcing existing power asymmetries. The study argues that transformations in Europe’s major leagues have exerted a normative and economic influence on the Brazilian context, generating a hybrid regulatory model marked by the tensions between public interest and market imperatives. By situating Brazilian football within broader global dynamics, the article contributes to the critical debate on the governance, commodification, and social meanings of the game in South America. The study concludes that structural inequalities and international market influences continue to shape Brazilian football, underscoring the need for policies that balance commercial and social interests.