The CBF published, on Monday night (15), the basic table of the 2026 Brazilian Championship, with the definition of the 38 rounds of Series A. In addition to the calendar, the entity also published the Specific Competition Regulations and the General Action Plan.
The documents present dates, field orders and operational details of all the season’s clashes. In addition, they describe changes to the tournament rules, which will come into effect from the next edition.
The changes directly impact the transfer market during the Brasileirão and the classification system for the Libertadores.
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When does Serie A 2026 start?
The 2026 Series A starts on January 28th and ends on December 2nd. Current champions, Flamengo debut away from home against São Paulo. Palmeiras, runner-up in 2025, also starts as a visitor, facing Atlético-MG.
Inaugural round of Series A 2026
- Fluminense x Grêmio
- Botafogo x Cruzeiro
- São Paulo x Flamengo
- Corinthians x Bahia
- Mirassol x Vasco
- Atlético-MG x Palmeiras
- Internacional x Athletico-PR
- Coritiba x Red Bull Bragantino
- Vitória x Remo
- Chapecoense x Santos
Change in window and criteria for Libertadores
One of the main new features is the maximum number of matches a player can play before transferring to another club in the same edition of the Brasileirão. Until 2025, the limit was six games; from 2026, this ceiling will be increased to 12.
Another change is related to vacancies allocated to Libertadores. Until the 2025 season, the top four teams in the Brasileirão qualified directly for the group stage, while the fifth and sixth teams competed in the preliminary stages.
With the new regulations, the Brasileirão will grant four direct places for the group stage and only one for the preliminary stage. The change occurs because, from 2026, the Copa do Brasil will provide two places for the main continental competition.
Thus, the Copa do Brasil champion secures a direct place in the Libertadores group stage, while the runner-up gets a place in the preliminary stage. If the champion is already classified by another competition, the runner-up inherits the direct place, and the place in the preliminary phase is redistributed from the Brasileirão table.
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