Rio Court Sends Botafogo SAF Control Fight to Arbitration, Keeping Textor in Charge

Overview

• The Rio court, which ended the lawsuit Tuesday, directed the case to a Fundação Getulio Vargas arbitral panel and kept earlier injunctions in effect.
• John Textor stays in command of Botafogo’s soccer company until the arbitration rules on the merits, and the tribunal is still being formed with no start date.
• Botafogo’s club associativo filed an appeal Wednesday to suspend the October 2025 order that preserves Textor’s control, arguing such measures should lapse once the case was extinguished.
• The SAF said it will brief associativo representatives in person next week on requested financial records and noted it already shares this material with the Fiscal Council and Board.
• Last year a Rio judge voided July 17, 2025 meetings under Textor that Eagle says okayed a capital increase of up to R$650 million and a €100 million loan, moves the investor argues could dilute its stake or shift assets to firms tied to Textor.