Purchasing official tickets for São Paulo FC games can only be done through the club’s official website. To register on the site, you’ll need a CPF (the Brazilian individual tax ID), and payments must be made via Pix, the local digital payment system that, unfortunately, isn’t available to foreigners. This makes it nearly impossible for tourists to secure tickets without some help from locals.
However, where there’s a will, there’s always a way. Outside the stadium, you’ll find plenty of scalpers shouting “ingresso!” which means “ticket” in Portuguese. If no scalper approaches you, don’t hesitate to ask roadside vendors—they often have contacts who can assist. I managed to snag a seat originally priced at 150 BRL for 200 BRL, which felt like a fair deal given the circumstances.
The Brazilian league is filled with former global superstars who have stepped away from the international spotlight. São Paulo FC boasts players like Oscar, once of Shanghai SIPG fame, and Lucas Moura, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur. But, as fate would have it, disappointment was my constant companion—the only two players I recognized were both sidelined due to injuries [crying emoji].
