São Paulo Faces Leadership Crisis Amid Poor Start in Paulistão 2026
São Paulo FC faces an impeachment vote for president Júlio Casares amid poor team performance in the 2026 Paulistão, prompting calls for deep club restructuring.
- • President Júlio Casares faces impeachment vote due to financial scandals requiring two-thirds council majority.
- • São Paulo lost 3-0 to Mirassol and is bottom of Paulistão standings, seeking recovery against São Bernardo at Morumbi.
- • Opposition calls for long-term restructuring, professional management, and meritocracy inspired by Flamengo.
- • The club's political crisis affects team performance amid important upcoming matches, including a derby with Corinthians.
Key details
São Paulo FC finds itself embroiled in a deepening political and sporting crisis as it struggles both on and off the pitch. Club president Júlio Casares is facing an imminent impeachment vote by the Deliberative Council scheduled for Friday, amid allegations of financial misconduct and scandal involving the illegal sale of tickets. To pass, the impeachment requires a two-thirds majority vote of 171 members, with opposition figures expressing optimism about securing the necessary support.
On the field, São Paulo's challenges are equally pressing. After a harsh 3-0 loss to Mirassol in their Paulistão 2026 opener, the team is returning to Morumbi Stadium on Thursday to face São Bernardo in a crucial match. São Paulo currently sits at the bottom of the standings and must secure victory to begin reversing their fortunes in this compact competition format, where each team gets only eight matches in the points phase to qualify for the quarter-finals. São Bernardo enters the clash in strong form, having convincingly beaten Capivariano 4-0 in their first match.
The club's political turmoil is underscored by calls from opposition members like Marcelo Portugal Gouvêa, who advocates for a "medium to long-term" restructuring plan modeled after Flamengo's successful approach. Gouvêa emphasizes the need for professional management, accountability, and a merit-based system free from lifelong appointments, aiming to restore São Paulo's competitive and organizational strength.
This scenario places heavy pressure on coach Hernán Crespo’s squad, which must perform amid destabilizing off-field distractions. The upcoming match against São Bernardo, followed by the high-stakes derby against Corinthians, could define the trajectory of São Paulo's season.
Overall, the intertwining crises highlight the urgent need for decisive leadership changes and structural reforms within São Paulo FC to halt the decline and realign the club on a path to success both in the Paulistão and beyond.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
