The Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, one of Brazil's most prominent football clubs, is facing a significant crisis surrounding ticket scalping. In response to alarming incidents of illegal ticket sales, the club has launched 'Operação Ingresso Legal', a strategic initiative aimed at curbing scalping and ensuring a fair and transparent ticketing process for its loyal fans.
In recent times, fans have reported severe difficulties in securing tickets for matches at Neo Química Arena, the club's home stadium. Tickets that should be readily available through the club's official channels are being sold at exorbitant prices by scalpers. Reports indicate that tickets for popular sectors are being offered in WhatsApp groups for as much as R$ 600, while more premium seating can reach prices upwards of R$ 1,500. Such inflated costs have ignited frustration among Corinthians supporters, who feel they are being sidelined in favor of those engaging in illegal sales.
This troubling trend has prompted the club to take action. The newly implemented operation stipulates that all ticket emissions will now require detailed justification and approval from the club's board. Furthermore, Corinthians is intensifying its surveillance efforts by monitoring sales on social media platforms and actively purchasing illegally sold tickets to identify those culpable. "The Corinthians reinforces that official tickets are sold exclusively at www.fieltorcedor.com.br. Purchases outside this system will not guarantee access to the Neo Química Arena," warned the club in an official communication.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, investigations have unveiled that ticket scalpers are obtaining tickets from multiple dubious sources. According to recent findings, tickets have been traced back to socios-torcedores, club advisors, and internal accounts meant for special circumstances. One particularly troubling instance occurred during a match against Bahia in December 2024, where tickets sold for R$ 45 by the club were resold for R$ 180. This profitable arbitrage highlights potential mismanagement within the organization.
Marcelo Munhoes, the former chief technology officer of Corinthians, has emerged as a key whistleblower in this unfolding scandal. Following his dismissal from the club in January 2025, he publicly raised concerns regarding ticket irregularities and deviations primarily tied to internal club accounts. Munhoes reported that the allocation of tickets for internal use had dramatically increased during the current administration of president Augusto Melo. "De fato, o torcedor não está errado nessa sensação de que está mais difícil (conseguir ingresso)," he stated, emphasizing that the ability to purchase tickets through the official program had significantly diminished.
As the situation escalates, the Public Ministry and the Civil Police have opened an inquiry to thoroughly examine the ticket skimming allegations, with employees from the club already summoned for questioning. The mounting evidence and testimonies are placing immense pressure on the club's administration as it grapples to maintain its reputation amidst claims of institutional corruption.
In light of the burgeoning scandal, Corinthians is emphasizing its commitment to tackling the issue head-on. The club has announced plans to implement a facial recognition system as a long-term solution to curb scalping effectively. This technology is mandated for all venues with a capacity exceeding 20,000 by June 2025. However, Munhoes has criticized the slow rollout of this technology, stating that the current leadership has delayed its implementation, raising doubts about their resolve to address the ongoing problems.
In a statement released on March 19, 2025, Corinthians rebuffed Munhoes' accusations as false, asserting that he failed to raise such allegations during his tenure with the club. The official note stated, "Nenhuma dessas ações será ignorada, e todas terão as respostas adequadas no âmbito legal." The club reassured fans of its ongoing efforts to bolster the integrity of the ticketing system by acquiring tickets from unauthorized sellers to trace the origins of illegal sales.
As scrutiny intensifies and legal actions loom, the scandal presents a potential threat not just to the club's financial health but also to the very essence of its relationship with its supporters. As they eagerly await updates from the club's administration, fans continue to feel the sting of frustration borne out of their struggles to access tickets legally. The unfolding drama signals a crucial juncture for Corinthians, one that could result in vital changes to governance and accountability within one of Brazil's most storied football clubs.
