According to Brazilian newspaper O Globo reporter Diogo Dantas, the Rio de Janeiro State Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating Flamengo and Fluminense for allegedly overselling tickets at the Maracanã stadium. Under Article 147 of Brazil's General Sports Law, if a team sells more tickets than the stadium's capacity, it could be banned from playing in stadiums in that city for up to six months.

However, the report states that at this stage, the Rio State Public Prosecutor's Office is awaiting responses from the two clubs and Fla-Flu Serviços S.A., the company responsible for operating the Maracanã stadium. The prosecution plans to first propose a "Term of Adjustment of Conduct" (TAC), hoping to resolve the issue through this mechanism, avoid judicial proceedings, and prevent impact on the two clubs' remaining matches this season.

O Globo previously reported that the investigation launched by the Rio State Public Prosecutor's Office's Special Action Group for Sports and Fan Rights Protection (Gaedest/MPRJ) in late August has since been transferred to the urban planning prosecutorial department, which is now investigating alleged irregularities by Fla-Flu Serviços S.A., the Maracanã operating company.

The management of both clubs, the Rio State Football Federation, and FutebolCard and Cognitive Ruptix Solution, responsible for ticket sales and ticketing operations, have all received official notifications but have not yet provided relevant explanations.

The investigation focuses on the North Stand and the former lifetime seating area.

The investigation revealed that in at least 16 matches, the number of tickets actually sold or made available for sale in specific stand areas exceeded the approved capacity. This includes 12 Flamengo matches and 4 Fluminense matches, including a Fla-Flu derby earlier this year that decided the state league championship.

According to reports from the fire department and military police, in some of these matches, the actual number of people in the stadium exceeded the stipulated capacity.

The investigation also found that the Maracanã stadium's turnstile system does not automatically prevent additional fans from entering even after the number of attendees has reached the stipulated capacity.

In the 12 Flamengo matches involved in the investigation, the club sold more tickets than the number stipulated in the safety report for certain stand areas. In half of these matches, the actual number of spectators exceeded Maracanã's current capacity limit of 73,609.

In some matches, the actual number of people in the North Stand area alone reached 23,400, which is 2,100 more than the 21,300-person limit stipulated in the military police's safety report.

The Rio State Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed that Fla-Flu Serviços has the technical capability to obtain real-time data on the number of fans entering through the stadium turnstiles and to set a maximum attendance threshold, but this measure was not implemented during actual operations.

The situation with Fluminense differs. The investigation found that the club made more tickets available for sale than its stipulated quota, which alone violates relevant laws.

However, in the 5 Fluminense matches under investigation, the actual number of attendees—whether in specific stand areas or the entire Maracanã stadium—did not exceed the stipulated limit; only the number of tickets made available to the public exceeded the approved number.

In these matches, the lower west stand was closed, which also violates regulations: clubs cannot close one stand area and then allow another area to be overcrowded with fans.

Additionally, the upper west stand, converted from the former lifetime seating area, also became a focus of the investigation. It is alleged that in some Flamengo matches, approximately 1,000 extra tickets may have been issued for this area per match, leading authorities to suspect alleged misrepresentation and document forgery.

According to regulations, a maximum of 5,019 people are allowed in this area, but relevant reports indicate that in some matches, over 6,000 spectators actually entered this area.

O Globo asked both clubs, the Rio State Football Federation, and the Maracanã operator to respond to the investigation.

Fluminense denied the allegations in a statement: "Fluminense Football Club does not sell more tickets than the stipulated quota for any stand area at the Maracanã."

Flamengo did not respond.

The Rio State Football Federation only stated: "We will provide the information requested by the Public Prosecutor's Office within the stipulated timeframe."

All relevant parties must submit their replies to the Rio State Public Prosecutor's Office within 15 days for the prosecution to continue its analysis. This deadline expires next week.

One explanation privately offered is that despite the number of tickets sold exceeding the stipulated capacity, many fans who have purchased tickets do not actually attend the matches.

The matches currently under investigation include:

For Flamengo: December 3, 2023, against Ceará; March 2024, against Fluminense; April 16, against Independiente Medellín; April 19, against Bahia; April 22, against Vitória; May 3, against Vasco da Gama; May 20, against Estudiantes de La Plata; May 23, against Palmeiras; May 30, against Coritiba; July 26, against São Paulo; August 9, against Vitória.

For Fluminense: March 8, 2024, against Flamengo; May 19, against Bolívar; May 27, against La Guaira; August 5, against Vasco da Gama; August 11, against Rivadavia.

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