Former Champions League Club Who Faced Man Utd Risk Being Kicked Out of League

One of Portugal's oldest clubs are at serious risk of being banished from the regional Porto football association’s first division (fifth tier) after a disastrous start to the 2025-26 campaign.

More than two decades after coming up against Manchester United and Liverpool in the Champions League and former Primeira Liga champions Boavista are going through a turbulent period right now.

In fact, the Porto-based side have endured a painful 15-year spell, which has featured accumulating debt from stadium renovations, wage delays and a damning relegation last season.

After finishing bottom of the Primeira Liga in 2024-25, Boavista lost their professional status and were demoted to the fifth tier of Portuguese football, just months after they signed nine players in one day.

Back in February, they celebrated the end of a two-year transfer ban by bringing in several high-profile names, including former PSG defender Layvin Kurzawa and ex-Chelsea midfielder Marco van Ginkel.

Van Ginkel featured for Boavista last season. Image credit: Getty

But the pair, alongside many others, have now left the club after they were relegated to the regional Porto football association’s first division following serious financial issues.

Their 'revitalisation plan' was also rejected by the Portuguese Football Federation.

A report from The Guardian in August suggested Boavista may not only face relegation and bankruptcy but extinction.

And now, it has been reported that the club is at risk of being relegated from the fifth tier after their latest two games against Ventura SC and Black Panthers FC were cancelled by the Porto Football Association.

A report from L'Equipe claims Boavista had not been able to register a sufficient number of players to participate in the game against Ventura SC.

Boavista fans prior to their clash against FC Porto in May. Image credit: Getty

As per Portuguese outlet Record, Article 58 from the Disciplinary Regulations states that "unjustified failure to appear in two consecutive official matches or three interpolated matches shall be subject to the corresponding provisions of Article 46.2, which states that in the event of withdrawal after the start of a competition contested by points, disqualification shall be recorded, and the club shall be punished with a drop in division and a fine [in this case, 600 euros]."