The changes promoted by CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) in the Football Calendar for the 2026-2029 Quadrennium, which included new formats for the third and fourth divisions of the Brazilian Championship, were well received by São Paulo clubs that played the last national division this year.
The C Series will have only two relegated in the next edition and an increase of four participants from 2027, with a new dispute format the following year. The D Series will go from 64 to 96 clubs as early as 2026, distributing six vacancies to the top division.
The change had as its main objective to increase the number of matches in the “pyramid base”. It was well received by leaders, who see the possibility of planning more in advance for the season, with the prospect of having a national calendar spaced throughout the year.
“These are positive changes, which had been discussed for a few months with the clubs. The CBF has done numerous studies with the dates so that Brazilian football can structurally, and in the near future, to be the best in the world, and needs to be supported by the clubs,” Inter de Limeira president Danilo Rodrigues Maluf told the president, Sheet.
After being relegated in the Paulista Championship, the interior team secured access to Serie C as one of the four semifinalists of Serie D in 2025, returning to the third division after 22 years.
According to the leader, each year the D Series is a more competitive championship, with “at least 20 clubs” able to achieve access.
“The CBF has invested funds in logistics and quotas, and this has increased the level of professionals, not only players and technical commissions, but also all departments involved: medicine, physiology, physiotherapy, sports nutrition, communication, marketing and psychology,” said Maluf.
By 2025, CBF’s investment in Serie D is expected to add about R $ 130 million, an increase of 18.2% compared to the R $ 110 million from the previous year.
Among athlete salary sheets, coaching staff and other professionals involved, as well as performance awards, the Limeira team spent about $ 4 million in the access campaign.
The Portuguese, who became SAF (Pic Football Society) at the end of 2024 and returned to play in Serie D in 2025 after four years without national division, was eliminated in the second phase by Mixto-MT, on penalties.
Portuguese vice president of Portuguese, Tadeu Oliveira Júnior said the club had a “good learning” with the return to the dispute of the D Series. He praised the changes in the CBF.
“We look welcome. These are positive changes that enable new opportunities for clubs. It is very important to be able to plan in advance, understand what comes ahead, and the new calendar provides it,” he said.
They are guaranteed in Serie D of 2026, between April 5 and September 13, the four relegated of Serie C – CSA, ABC, Retro and Tombense. There will also be 64 vacancies distributed to state federations, based on the CBF ranking.
The 28 clubs that advanced to the second phase of Serie D in 2025 are also guaranteed, excluding those already classified by the previous criterion. The remaining vacancies will be distributed considering the ranking of clubs.
“We are promoting greater national inclusion of clubs, with a more stable and predictable calendar,” said Julio Avellar, CBF’s director of competitions.
In the new D Series, the clubs will be divided into 16 groups of six teams, with the top four advancing to the knockout phase. The four semifinalists guarantee a place in Serie C. The remaining two vacancies will be defined via “Playoff”, with round trip matches, among the four teams disqualified in the quarterfinals.
The C Series, in turn, will debut a new format from 2028, abandoning the current model in two phases. Currently, the 20 teams play with each other in the group stage, with the first eight advancing. They are then divided into two groups, with the top two of each ensuring access.
In three years, inflated with 28 teams, the C Series will be divided into two groups of 14, with round trip games. The top four in each group advances, with the final phase keeping the current format. Six clubs will be relegated to the 2029 D Series, the three worst in each group.
“We will have more regional representativeness. We are also fattening the middle of the pyramid, giving more opportunity for national calendar to the teams,” said Avellar.
“We understand that there is sports and technical growth, an expansion of the audience and commercial appreciation, because it is a more attractive format. It is a promotion to the local economy, a series of jobs that can be generated in the football production chain,” added the director.
News in Serie C and Serie D of the Brazilian Championship
C series
– 2026
20 clubs, maintaining the current format
Two clubs relegated to the D Series
– 2027
24 clubs, maintaining the current format
Two clubs relegated to the D Series
– 2028
28 clubs, with new format
Six clubs relegated to Serie D
Series D
– From 2026
64 increase for 96 clubs
Increase from 510 to 610 matches
Minimum of 10 to 14 matches per club
Maximum of 22 matches for the finalists
Six clubs guarantee access to Serie C
