São Paulo Reaches Pact to Allow Alcohol Sales at Football Stadiums Pending Assembly Vote

Overview

• The state government, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Military Police and Public Defender agreed on Sept. 29 to support regulated sales after nearly three decades of prohibition.
• A draft bill has been sent to Alesp by the Tarcísio de Freitas administration, and the city of São Paulo would also need to repeal its 1997 ban.
• Proposed rules bar bringing in outside alcohol, limit containers to plastic or biodegradable up to 600 ml, cap consumption at two drinks per spectator, and prohibit sales at youth events.
• The plan confines sales to inside stadiums, but detailed enforcement and monitoring mechanisms have not yet been disclosed.
• The ban stems from a 1996 state law enacted after 1995 fan violence, and a 2020 Supreme Court ruling affirmed states’ power to regulate the issue as clubs push for revenue and attendance gains.