“THE Portuguese Football Federation informs that, in strict compliance with a court decision and based on the basic principle of the stability of competitions, it will proceed, as determined on Friday by the Southern Administrative Central Court (TCAS), with the integration of Sociedade Filarmónica União 1.º de Outubro into the Portuguese Championship”, informed the federative body.
The TCAS determined the immediate integration of 1.º December into the fourth tier of Portuguese football – in which it had been replaced by Sacavenense after failing to obtain licensing in FPF competitions -, following the court’s decision to uphold the precautionary measure filed by the club, according to the ruling, to which the Lusa agency had access.
“Accepting the TCAS deliberation, the Portuguese Football Federation nevertheless expresses its concern regarding a decision that calls into question the integrity, loyalty, transparency and sporting truth of competitions, as well as the effectiveness of regulatory standards and requirements”, noted the FPF.
The Portuguese football governing body even expressed “indignation at the way in which this decision does not protect the integrity of the competition or sporting truth, inviting everyone to a deep reflection on the current model of sporting justice which, once again, proves to be incapable of responding to the demands and expectations of Portuguese football”.
The court ordered that, within 24 hours, “all acts necessary for the admission and immediate integration” of 1.º de Outubro (administratively relegated to the district levels by the FPF) be carried out in the Campeonato de Portugal (CP), even if on a provisional basis.
The FPF regretted that “TCAS’ decision to grant the precautionary measure” was taken without considering “the elements that supported the FPF’s decision – and the opinion of the Licensing Committee that supported it – to exclude the Club from the Portuguese Championship, as it was unable to prove the non-existence of debts owed to players on May 30th”.
“It also regrets that this precautionary measure was enacted without the Portuguese Football Federation having been heard, despite having spontaneously presented its position approximately 50 minutes after being notified that the measure was pending”, reinforced the body chaired by Pedro Proença.
The 1st December filed an appeal with precautionary measures at the Sports Arbitration Court (TAD) on Friday, the day on which the Emergency Committee of the FPF management announced the exclusion of the Sintra emblem from the fourth national division, with the place being occupied by Sacavenense.
The FPF justified the sentence with irregularities in the sixth point of the 13th article of the CP regulations, which requires participating clubs to have a “minimum three-star certification” in the season prior to participating in the competition.
In July, the sports press reported that Sacavenense sent a letter to the FPF, in which he claimed that the 1st December did not meet the conditions to compete in the next edition of the CP and was in default of salary, accusations refuted by Sintrenses and TCAS.
The court’s decision, maintaining that the provisional readmission of 1st December would not cause a greater loss than the exclusion would entail, was taken two days before the start of Series 4 of the fourth tier, whose opening day includes Sacavenense’s visit to Imortal, in Albufeira, although 1st December expressed itself prepared to play that match.
The 1st. December came down to CP in 2025/26, finishing Series 2 of League 3 maintenance in fifth and penultimate place, with 16 points, two behind the permanence zone, following Amora, Sporting de Braga B and Sanjoanense in the quartet of teams relegated to the fourth tier.
The Sintrenses were supposed to occupy one of the 14 places in Series 4 of the CP in 2026/27, but were surrendered by decision of the FPF by Sacavenense, second placed in the main division of the Lisbon Football Association (AF), behind Real Massamá, who returned to the national championships as district champion.
In addition to joining the CP, the Sacavém team would participate in the first round of the Portuguese Cup, with the visit to Real Massamá scheduled for August 30, in a round that also included Lourel, designated as representative of AF Lisboa and eventual host of Angrense, from the Azorean districts.
The FPF’s decision would also have administrative implications in the main echelon of AF Lisboa, by taking the B team of the 1st December from the first to the second district division, as it could not coincide with the senior team in the same championship, in which it remained in 2025/26.
