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Sport Club Internacional has ended the master sponsorship contract with gaming house Alfa due to payments that were not settled on several occasions. This has been going on for several months, with the sponsor not settling the due payments that were due in November and December, and the January payment that was set to take place on the 10th of the month.
The contract, signed for three years and hailed as one of the biggest sponsorship deals in the history of the club, failed to reach a one-year milestone. The financial troubles experienced by Alfa resulted in a breach of contract, thereby necessitating the formal termination of the contract by Internacional.
Immediate Impact on the Team’s Jersey
The aftermath of the termination was quite apparent. Internacional did not include the brand of Alfa on its jersey in Sunday’s match against Novo Hamburgo. This resulted in a 2-1 win for the club in the first round of the Campeonato Gaúcho. The absence of the brand on institutional documents and public outings in the past weeks indicated that the end of the association between the two was imminent, even before the termination occurred.
It appears that the club has already started the procedure to collect both the outstanding payment as well as the contractual indemnity that Alfa is supposed to pay. On the other hand, Internacional has already initiated talks to find a sponsor for its master placement on its jerseys.
Contract Values and Legal Proceedings
According to the original terms of the agreement, Alfa was obliged to pay an annual sum of R$50 million, paid in equal installments of R$4.16 million monthly. Additionally, since another installment was due on January 10 and has not yet been paid, Internacional notified the company of its breach of contract.
This issue has since been referred to the legal department of the club, and it is their task to handle the issue regarding the unpaid amount and possible compensation. As reported, the legal matter will run concurrently with the hunt for a new sponsor.
Delays, Internal Discomfort, and Broader Consequences
At the beginning, Internacional appeared flexible and understanding towards Alfa, especially when the latter mentioned difficulties experienced owing to corporate restructuring. Notably, delays continued, which caused discomfort in the management, resulting in increased notifications.
Evidence of the deterioration began to emerge. During the presentation of executive Fabinho Soldado, the brand of the company Alfa was no longer featured on the jersey exhibited to the former player, nor on the background used in press interviews at the Beira Rio Stadium.
But there were other effects of the situation on Internacional too. Alfa had the same sponsorship deal with Grêmio, which is Internacional’s traditional rival. Grêmio decided to replace the sponsorship with another deal in the final stages of the Brasileirão and thus brought to an end a 28-year-old tradition in which both clubs had the same sponsorship in Gre-Nal.
Financial Impact and Strategic Outlook
The sponsorship deal with Alfa that started in February of the previous year accounted for more than 50% of the sponsorship income that Internacional had budgeted for this year. The club had budgeted a sponsorship income of R$90 million for the year and a sponsorship income of R$101.83 million in 2026.
In spite of this, the club remains confident about finding a new partner and its long-term commercial program.
Official Statement from Internacional
In an official statement, Sport Club Internacional explained: “Sport Club Internacional informs that it has notified the termination of the contract with the master sponsor due to existing contractual non-compliance. In parallel, the Club is working, through its Legal Department, on negotiations to obtain the amounts due and the corresponding indemnification. Internacional also informs that negotiations are underway for the hiring of a new master sponsor. Once the deal is finalized, official communication will be made.”
The club is now at a point in its existence when it has to deal with recovery initiatives while at the same time looking for a new sponsor to help with commercial activities.
Source: iGaming Brasil
