A new chapter, perhaps a bittersweet one, opens this Sunday for Boavista SAD. The football team will kick off its journey in the top division of the Porto Football Association. They face Nogueirense in what should be their fourth match of the season. The first three games had to be postponed, Lusa news agency reported today from the organization.
It has been over four long months since the team tumbled from the II Liga. This fall was followed by an administrative demotion to the district leagues. Now, the “checkered ones” are set to compete officially again. Their opponent, Nogueirense, sits fourth in the standings. The match begins at 5:00 PM at the Nogueira da Maia Municipal Stadium.
The squad, led by coach Jorge Couto, should have started the 2025/26 season earlier. Couto is a former player, assistant coach, and general director for Boavista. He took over after Anglo-Scottish manager Stuart Baxter. The season was meant to begin on the weekend of September 6 and 7. However, their initial three rounds were put on hold.
These postponed games have new dates. The home matches against Foz and Lixa will now happen on November 12 and 26. Their away game at Aliados Lordelo is set for October 15. This schedule means the clash with Nogueirense becomes their season opener. Meanwhile, Boavista SAD, led by Senegalese president Fary Faye, is battling serious issues. They face five player registration bans from FIFA due to unpaid debts.
These restrictions are not new; they reappeared between March and August. One ban covers three registration periods, while four others have no end date. Boavista SAD continues to work on lifting these blocks. For now, they will play Nogueirense using a mix of former and current players from their Under-19 team. These youngsters come from the national II Division for their age group.
Last August, the team announced 10 new signings. Among them is veteran Angolan international forward Mateus, 41 years old. He spent the last two seasons at Maia Lidador. Mateus also had two previous stints with Boavista, from 2007 to 2008 and then again from 2017 to 2020. Only two players from last season’s I Liga squad remain. These are left-back Tomás Silva and forward Tiago Machado, both trained at the club.
The famous Estádio do Bessa remains off-limits. The National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) has prevented its use. Because of this, Boavista SAD will play its home games at Parque Desportivo de Ramalde. This alternative venue was put forward to the Porto Football Association.
Complicating matters further, the main club itself, Boavista, faces its own troubles. This club, chaired by Rui Garrido Pereira, owns 10% of the SAD’s capital. It is also blocked from signing new players. This is because it shares responsibility for the SAD’s debts. The club has not yet begun its 2025/26 season in the fourth and lowest district tier. They decided to skip the AF Porto Cup. Their focus is solely on achieving promotion.
The club’s first two league games in Series 5 have been moved. Their season is now set to begin on October 5. They will visit Panteras Negras FC. This new club was formed in July by fans unhappy with the current management. Its name honors the original Boavista name and its supporters’ group. This upcoming match also takes place at Parque Desportivo de Ramalde, about 2.5 kilometers from the Bessa stadium.
Panteras Negras FC drew 1-1 with Águias de Gaia in their first match. They had a break on the second matchday. This Sunday, they will play Frende in the first round of the AF Porto Cup.
Boavista SAD was supposed to play in the II Liga for the 2025/26 season. However, they could not register for the professional league’s competitions. Later, they were also denied a license to join Liga 3, overseen by the Portuguese Football Federation. This led to their demotion to the district levels of the Porto Football Association.
The club lacked the necessary financial foundations. This caused their downfall. In response, Boavista created a senior team independent of the SAD. Creditors voted, mostly in favor, to approve a recovery plan. They also unanimously agreed that the “checkered” team’s activities should continue.
However, the club’s liquidation was also confirmed at a creditors’ meeting. They turned down a request to delay the vote on Rui Garrido Pereira’s recovery plan by 30 days. Pereira has already appealed this decision.
Boavista was relegated to the II Liga in May. They finished last in the 2024/25 I Liga, in 18th place, with 24 points. This ended a remarkable run of 11 consecutive seasons in the top flight. Boavista is one of only five national champions in history, having famously won the title in the 2000/01 season.