Brazilian Finance Ministry creates procedure to license betting on the 2027 Women's World Cup.
The Prizes and Betting Secretariat of the Ministry of Finance published, this Monday (August 31st), a decree that creates an accelerated authorization process for fixed-odds betting companies that wish to operate in connection with the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, to be held in Brazil. The regulatory act also governs sponsorship activities and brand exposure in the sector during official tournament events.
The regulation stems from articles 68 and 69 of Law No. 15.421, of June 1, 2026, and establishes differentiated conditions for FIFA's commercial partners and contractors who wish to offer betting during the championship period.
Specific authorization for the event period.
Companies interested in operating only during the World Cup may request a limited-duration license, restricted to the period between May 24, 2027, and August 25, 2027. For this type of license, the concession fee is proportional to the period: R$ 1.528.767,12, instead of the full amount of R$ 30 million charged for regular five-year authorizations. In addition, the company must establish a financial reserve of R$ 2,5 million.
Full-term authorization, for five years, is also available to eligible parties. In either case, the operator is restricted to exploiting only the brands that are part of its sponsorship or commercial partnership agreement with FIFA.
Only Brazilian legal entities, incorporated under national law, with headquarters and administration in the country, that are already commercial partners or contractors of FIFA for the 2027 tournament are eligible for the license. The authorized agent for the event period may only offer bets related to Women's World Cup matches; bets on other sporting or virtual events will be prohibited and subject to administrative sanctions.
Timeframe and analysis procedure
Applications for authorization must be submitted by October 31, 2026, through the Betting Management System (SIGAP). The application must be accompanied by a document issued by FIFA proving the status of partner or contractor, in addition to the documentation usually required by industry legislation.
The Prizes and Betting Secretariat will have up to 120 days, from the date of filing, to notify the company about the payment of the grant or the rejection of the request. During this period, requests related to the World Cup will have absolute precedence over all other authorization processes underway at the agency. The ordinance allows the secretariat to suspend the analysis deadlines for regular processes that do not fall under this special procedure.
Applications submitted after the deadline or without the FIFA document will be archived without merit review.
Sponsorship and limits for unauthorized brands
The ordinance also outlines what is permitted regarding the exposure of betting brands during the World Cup. Companies in the sector that are official FIFA sponsors may display their brands at event venues and during broadcasts, without this constituting betting advertising for regulatory purposes, provided that there is no actual offer of betting in Brazil.
An irregular offer is characterized when a company provides a platform that allows users in Brazil to register or deposit funds, contracts advertising with links or QR codes directing to betting sites, or uses language that indicates the recruitment of Brazilian bettors.
To prevent unauthorized access, FIFA will need to contractually require its partners and contractors without Brazilian authorization to adopt geolocation blocking, registration restrictions for users in Brazil, blocking of financial transactions originating from the country, and VPN usage detection mechanisms to circumvent these restrictions. FIFA will need to present documentation to the secretariat proving the inclusion of these obligations in the signed contracts.
Failure to comply with sponsorship and advertising rules may lead the secretariat to order the removal of irregular campaigns, block websites or delete applications that operate without a license, as well as recommend to FIFA the application of contractual sanctions against its partners and impose administrative penalties provided for in the legislation.
Closing of operations and post-event obligations
At the end of the event, on August 25, 2027, overlapping period authorizations will automatically expire, with no possibility of renewal. The operator must present proof of suspension of new user registrations, notify the secretariat of a plan to discontinue operations, and detail how bettors' financial resources will be returned.
The return of the paid grant is only foreseen in cases where the authorization is revoked due to the loss of partner or contractor status with FIFA before the end of the tournament, and provided that a fortuitous event or force majeure is proven.
The Prizes and Betting Department will publish on its website the updated list of companies authorized to operate based on this ordinance, with their respective validity periods. The ordinance came into effect on the date of its publication, this Tuesday (September 1st).
Ministry of Finance Ordinance SPA-MF No. 2.596 of August 28, 2026
