A somber cloud hangs over Boavista Football Club. The dream of playing in Liga 3 for the 2025/26 season has collapsed. Football officials have shut down their hopes, citing a major issue with paperwork.
According to reports, the Portuguese Football Federation’s Licensing Committee turned down Boavista’s request. The main problem? Boavista could not prove they were free of debt to the Social Security and Tax Authority. This missing certificate was the deal-breaker, a detail that had been whispered about for a week.
Boavista has already received the bad news. They now have a short window, just three days, to fight this decision. They can appeal to the Federation’s Appeals Committee. This comes at a difficult time for the club. The company that runs Boavista’s senior team recently started an insolvency process. A special plan to help the club recover financially was also turned down.
If Boavista loses its appeal, the path ahead looks stark. The club would be forced to play in the district leagues under the Porto Football Association. For a team with Boavista’s history, this would be a painful step down. It’s a reminder that even big names can face tough times off the pitch.