A first-division soccer club in Portugal made headlines this weekend, but not for anything that happened on the field. The team, owned by Brazilian superstar Vinícius Jr., was fined by the Portuguese Football Federation after reports of a strong weed smell coming from the stands.
According to Argentine sports outlet Olé, the incident took place during a Primeira Liga match between Alverca and Santa Clara. Throughout the game, players sitting on the Santa Clara bench were surrounded by the persistent smell, which appeared to be drifting in from the west stand —an area occupied exclusively by Alverca supporters.
The odor was reportedly strong enough that some of the visiting players chose to move away from the bench area.
But the smell was not the only issue that day. In the referee’s official report, Hélder Filipe Carvalho also noted that Alverca fans insulted Santa Clara striker Gonçalo Paciência during the match. One spectator was eventually removed from the stadium for behavior that, while described as discreet, suggested possible cannabis possession or use.
In the end, the Portuguese federation fined Alverca with €765 for what it classified as “improper public conduct”.
It is worth noting, however, that in Portugal all drugs are decriminalized, and possession of small personal amounts of cannabis is not considered a criminal offense.
Not Every Soccer Club Is Afraid of Weed
While some soccer headlines still revolve around complaints about cannabis smoke in stadiums, other parts of the sport are moving in the opposite direction, openly embracing the plant’s cultural presence.
One recent example comes from Jamaica’s national team, which unveiled new Adidas jerseys for the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in collaboration with the Bob Marley Foundation. The kits draw heavily from reggae culture and Marley’s visual legacy, incorporating the iconic …
Read More
Author: Marian Venini / High Times
