Rio Court denies John Textor's request to block Botafogo SAF shares

A Rio de Janeiro court has officially denied a request from American businessman John Textor to block the sale of shares in the SAF of Botafogo. The decision was issued by Judge Luiz Eduardo Canabrro of the 14th Chamber of Private Law.

The dispute stems from Eagle Bidco's attempt to stop the transfer of SAF shares to GDA Luma. Textor is claiming 150 million reais, alleging this is an outstanding debt for the transfer of 90% of the club's shares years ago. Botafogo, however, maintains that this debt does not exist and argues that Textor's legal actions are hindering the club's ongoing restructuring process.

In his ruling, Judge Canabrro noted that there were no elements present to justify an emergency measure, describing the matter as a central issue for a full merit review. The court emphasized that the claim of non-payment requires extensive accounting expertise and evidence production, which cannot be granted as a provisional measure at this stage.

The court further highlighted that the documentation submitted by Textor was limited to notifications sent in June 2026, nearly four years after the alleged non-payment occurred.