Portugal’s professional football league president downplayed his absence from a key meeting between the national federation and major clubs, while asserting the league’s comprehensive representation of all teams.
Reinaldo Teixeira, president of the Portuguese Professional Football League (LPFP), stated Saturday that the organization “knows well what its role is” and represents all 33 professional clubs. He dismissed suggestions the LPFP was excluded from a Friday meeting involving the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) and four prominent clubs.
“The League was not left out,” Teixeira told journalists in Olhão. He emphasized that the LPFP would attend necessary meetings. “The League, and I, as president of the League, represent all presidents of sports societies.”
The FPF meeting brought together its president, Pedro Proença, with the leaders of Benfica, FC Porto, Sporting, and Sporting de Braga. Discussions focused on establishing rigorous criteria for sports betting revenue and the sustainability of professional football societies.
An FPF communiqué detailed the meeting, held Friday at a football complex in Oeiras. It specified attendance by Rui Costa (Benfica), André Villas-Boas (FC Porto), Frederico Varandas (Sporting), and António Salvador (Sporting de Braga).
Teixeira suggested the FPF discussions primarily revolved around “promises that were made and dialogues they had during the [electoral] campaign for the federation.” He reiterated that “the League president represents all clubs… and therefore was not left out.”
The FPF statement noted the meeting “addressed the current moment of Portuguese football and debated various topics related to the future of the industry.” This included “the distribution of revenue from sports betting and in particular the funds referring to bets on international leagues.”
Teixeira added that the LPFP “does not interfere in what it does not have to interfere with.” The league, he said, “represents professional football and will do everything to promote football naturally and transparently.”
Meanwhile, the LPFP has announced its own summit of club presidents for December 4 in Porto. Teixeira described this semi-annual gathering as “natural.” Topics will include television rights, competitive structures, and infrastructure.