From 2026, the champion and runner-up of the Copa do Brasil will win a place in the Copa Libertadores. Currently, only the winner of the national competition qualifies for the continental tournament. The change was communicated to the clubs this Thursday (11), during the Série A Technical Council.
In the current format, the Brazilian Championship accredits six clubs to the main competition in South America, four directly to the group stage and two to the preliminary stages. For next year, the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) is still studying whether the Copa do Brasil will inherit a direct or indirect place, the so-called pre-Libertadores.
The entity has also not yet defined how it will proceed if the champion and runner-up of the Copa do Brasil are already classified for the continental tournament via the Brazilian Championship. In the current season, Cruzeiro and Fluminense could be in this situation, as they are in the knockout semi-finals and Nacional finished in the Libertadores qualifying zone.
Nothing changes, however, for the ongoing competition. The new rule will only come into effect in 2026.
For now, Brazil has seven clubs guaranteed in the 2026 Libertadores: Flamengo (current champion), Palmeiras, Cruzeiro, Mirassol and Fluminense for the group stage. In addition to Botafogo and Bahia, classified for the preliminary stages.
The country’s eighth representative will be defined after the decision of the Copa do Brasil. If Cruzeiro and Fluminense win the title, which already have a place via the Brazilian Championship, Botafogo will inherit a place in the group stage and São Paulo will compete in the preliminary stages.
In 2026, the national knockout stage will begin on February 18th. The 20 Serie A clubs will enter the competition from the fifth phase onwards, in April. The final, in a single game, will be on December 6th.
