Flamengo will not be present in the 2026 edition of the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior. Four-time champions of the country’s main youth tournament, the Rio club announced its absence in November, when the groups for the first phase of the competition were announced. Since 2007, the Rio team has not been out of contention.
In 2026, Copinha will have 128 teams.
Why won’t Flamengo participate in the Copinha?
The option not to compete in the Copa São Paulo came from Flamengo’s board of directors and is related to the professional team’s calendar.
With the 2026 Campeonato Carioca set to begin on January 11, the gap between the competition and the 2025 Intercontinental Cup is less than a month. This scenario required special planning and reduced the athletes’ rest and preparation time.
With this, Flamengo understands that under-20 players could be used in the first rounds of the State Championship, which would compromise performance in the Copinha.
Flamengo’s Retrospect at Copinha
Even outside the Copinha, Flamengo is experiencing a very positive moment in the youth categories. The club is two-time champion of the U20 Copa Libertadores and also of the Intercontinental Cup in the category.
Throughout history, Rubro-Negro participated in 38 editions of Copinha. In 2025, they fell in the second phase after defeat to RB Bragantino.
Flamengo’s numbers in the Copinha
- 180 games
- 94 wins
- 37 draws
- 49 defeats
- 4 titles (1990, 2011, 2016 and 2018)
