Key takeaways:
– Global growth in sports increasingly depends on adopting digital-first content strategies that extend beyond live broadcasts and meet fans across platforms year-round.
– Expanding internationally requires more than distribution; it demands consistent, engaging storytelling that builds familiarity and keeps global audiences connected between live moments.
– AI-powered content creation platforms enable rights holders to scale production, deepen engagement, and unlock new commercial opportunities across markets.
It is very common to see Brazilian players in lists of Europe’s most expensive football transfers. It’s very rare, however, to see a Brazilian player heading back home from Europe on one of those lists. Which is exactly what happened when Flamengo completed a deal to buy West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá for €42 million, making him the third-largest transfer of the January window and the most expensive player ever signed by a club in the Americas.
Paquetá’s signing was another indication of Flamengo’s strong position in the Americas. With more than 45 million local supporters, around 22% of all football fans in Brazil, the Rio de Janeiro giant enjoys unrivaled national dominance. And, as if that were not enough, Flamengo is coming off a record-setting year both on and off the pitch.
On the pitch, Flamengo won their ninth Campeonato Brasileiro and became Brazil’s most successful Copa Libertadores team by lifting the title for the fourth time. Their results off the pitch were nothing to scoff at, either. The Rubro-Negro (red and black) cemented its status as the most popular non-European club on social media, increasing its followers to 84 million. In addition, revenues hit $391 billion in 2025, with a 32% profit margin.
Big deals, bigger ambitions
A significant chunk of the revenue came from betting company Betano, Flamengo’s main sponsor since September. According to the club, the multi-year contract with Betano is worth $49 million annually, making it the largest sponsorship agreement in the history of Brazilian football and the ninth-ranked deal in the world currently, ahead of some European clubs.
The historic deal prompted Flamengo’s president, Luiz Eduardo Baptista, to say that the club wants “to be the Real Madrid of the Americas. I look at Flamengo based on the best examples in Europe. I look at what Manchester City does, what Atlético Madrid does, what Bayern Munich does, and what PSG does. But if I had to name a club I look up to in the world – if I had to pick just one – it would be Real Madrid.”
Under Baptista, the Rubro-Negro are showing that much like Los Blancos, they too have a healthy dose of vanity. In September, Flamengo asked the UN to be recognized as the world’s first symbolic-cultural nation. “A nation defined not by geography, but by collective sentiment,” said club legend Zico in a speech that kicked off the campaign. “A nation with music, stories, heroes, customs, and traditions. And, most importantly, a nation spread across the planet.”
Owning the digital experience
Another thing Flamengo has tried to emulate is Real Madrid’s digital content strategy. In 2025, the club launched FlamengoTV, a new streaming platform that resembles RM Play, Real Madrid’s OTT service. This season, as part of a strategic plan to attract new fans in different markets, FlamengoTV will livestream all 19 home games in the Campeonato Brasileiro – in Spanish and Portuguese – free of charge to international audiences.
To amplify the visibility of these livestreams, Flamengo recently partnered with Sofascore, a global platform that provides live scores, statistics, and sports insights. Under the terms of the partnership, Sofascore will deliver exclusive digital content and fan engagement initiatives across FlamengoTV, the club’s official website, social media, and other digital platforms.
“This partnership represents another important step in Flamengo’s international strategy,” said Flavia da Justa, director of communications and content at Flamengo. “We are committed to strengthening our global presence by offering high-quality digital experiences and bringing our content closer to millions of fans around the world. Sofascore’s global reach and technological expertise will help us reinforce our position as one of the most relevant brands worldwide.”
Scaling beyond borders
Flamengo’s international strategy offers other rights holders a lesson: the path to global growth lies in aligning content strategies with how fans actually consume sports today. While live matches remain essential, they are only part of the equation. To stay relevant across markets, organizations must complement them with a continuous flow of short-form, platform-native content that keeps fans engaged before, during, and after matchdays.
This is where AI-powered content creation platforms come into play. By automatically turning live action into highlights, stories, and tailored clips, and distributing them across every channel, they enable content teams to meet demand instantly and consistently. The result is a global, always-on presence that fuels discovery, deepens engagement, and helps clubs – including giants like Flamengo – realize their ambitions.
Actionable insights:
– Build a consistent flow of short-form content around matches and key moments to maintain engagement with international audiences between live broadcasts.
– Distribute content across multiple digital touchpoints to maximize reach in target markets and attract new fans.
– Align content strategy with global expansion goals by tailoring formats and storytelling to different regions, ensuring relevance for diverse audiences.
