Flamengo has formally appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to demand a provisional suspension of ticket sales for the Copa Libertadores final between Estudiantes and Palmeiras, eldia.com reported. The legal action follows a rejected disciplinary protest regarding the eligibility of defender Marcos Rojo during the semifinal series.
Tribunal Sets November 2 Deadline for Governing Body Submissions
The court based in Switzerland intervened by establishing a definitive deadline of November 2 for the governing body of South American football to present its defenses and explanations before issuing a decision, according to eldia.com. Initially, the Rio de Janeiro club sought to overturn the semifinal result and claim the points to take Estudiantes’ place in Montevideo. The strategy shifted as the club dropped its request to halt the match itself while maintaining the demand to freeze ticket sales for the supporters’ sections.
🚨El TAS le dio la razón a Estudiantes y Marcos Rojo está habilitado para jugar la Copa Libertadores. *️⃣El defensor podrá ser de la partida mañana ante Flamengo. pic.twitter.com/Et6Gmyc056
Exclusive documents obtained by ESPN and reported by eldia.com showed that Flamengo formally requested that, as a provisional measure, CONMEBOL be ordered not to commercialize the tickets for the final intended for the finalist clubs until the final decision is notified.
TyC Sports noted that the initial batch of tickets became available on October 29 at 14:00 local time for category 1 and 2 holders using Mastercard issued in Uruguay.
Disciplinary Protest Over Marcos Rojo Eligibility
The core dispute centers on the participation of defender Faustino Marcos Alberto Rojo during the semifinal second leg played on October 22, 2026, at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, which ended in a 3-2 penalty shootout victory for the visiting squad after a 0-0 aggregate draw over 180 minutes. The CONMEBOL Disciplinary Commission resolved to reject the protest filed by Clube de Regatas do Flamengo on October 23, 2026, and simultaneously dismissed the request for precautionary measures, according to official tournament filings.
Estudiantes president Juan Sebastián Verón addressed the legal challenge from La Plata, stating that the club proceeded with proper legal advice and that Rojo played under authorization from the court. What is decided going forward does not put at risk that we play the final,
Verón said, as reported by Infobae and Clarín. The club leadership in La Plata reported that tickets designated for their supporters are scheduled to go on sale on Monday, with the administration organizing bus transport to subsidize travel costs for fans.
Logistical Schedule Remains Unaltered Ahead of Montevideo Final
CONMEBOL officials maintained that the schedule and logistics for the decisive match at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay, scheduled for November 28, 2026, will proceed without alterations. Tournament organizers confirmed that mixed-ticket sales continue through normal channels while awaiting the procedural steps at the international sports tribunal.
The appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport requires compliance with procedural rules, specifically Article 64.3 and subsequent provisions of the CONMEBOL Disciplinary Code, while the South American federation outlined that appeals within its internal framework require a fee of USD 3,000 paid via bank transfer. Estudiantes continues preparations in Argentina for the upcoming continental showcase against Palmeiras without anticipated interruption to its sporting itinerary.
Additional Administrative Background and Club Leadership Statements
Before the definitive rulings, with the transfer window closed, the defender had met with Claudio Tapia to attempt registration with the Argentine Football Association, although CONMEBOL initially did not authorize his participation before Ramiro Funes Mori played the first leg. Regarding broader institutional matters, Estudiantes Juan Sebastián Verón noted that while teams emerge and maintain continuity, he does not enter into discussions about placing the club in a spot already determined by history. Addressing past friction with the governing body, Verón stated that they were mistreated, threatened, and forced to form a guard of honor through a modified PDF and protocol. On the subject of club governance, he argued that clubs will not become corporate sports entities, but a model will be found to allow private investment to arrive.
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