O 2026 Carioca Championship underwent important changes following adjustments to the Brazilian football calendar made by the CBF. With fewer dates available, the competition became leaner and gained a new format, especially with regard to the fight against relegation, which will have an exclusive phase to define who falls into Series A2.
The tournament, with 12 clubs, will be played until March 8th. Unlike previous seasons, the teams were divided into two groups and only face opponents from the other group in the initial phase, which has a direct impact on the definition of the classifieds and the teams that will fight against relegation.
Carioca 2026: how the initial phase works – Guanabara Cup
In the first phase, called the Guanabara Cup, the 12 clubs are organized into two groups with six teams each. In a single round, the teams from Group A face those from Group B, totaling six matches for each club between January 14th and February 8th.
At the end of this stage, the team that has the highest number of points in the general classification is declared champion of the 2026 Guanabara Cup. In case of a tie, the tiebreaker criteria provided for in the regulations, such as goal difference and goals scored, are used.
In addition to the symbolic title, the Guanabara Cup also defines the fate of the clubs following the championship, both in the fight for the state title and in the fight against relegation.
Carioca 2026: who qualifies and who enters the fight against relegation
The four best placed in each group advance to the quarterfinals of the Carioca Championship and remain alive in the dispute for the state title.
Teams that finish the Guanabara Cup in 5th and 6th position in each group do not advance to the knockout stages. These four clubs become part of the so-called Group X, a phase created exclusively to define relegation in the State.
Carioca 2026: how Group X works – decisive phase of relegation
Group The teams face each other in turns, all against all, totaling six matches for each club.
All teams begin this phase with zero points, without carrying the points won in the Guanabara Cup. At the end of the six rounds, the classification of Group X determines the fate of the teams.
The last placed team in Group X is relegated directly to Series A2 of the 2027 Carioca Championship.
The second-to-last placed team does not automatically fall, but will have to compete in a playoff for access and permanence against the runner-up of the 2026 Series A2. The confrontation will define who will play in the elite of Rio’s football in the following season.
Series A2 is scheduled to take place between April 18th and July 25th, which means that the decisive playoff will only be held in August.
Carioca 2026: quarter-finals, Taça Rio and Carioca semi-finals
While four clubs fight to avoid relegation, the eight best remain on the path to the title. The quarterfinals of the 2026 Carioca Championship will be played in a single game, with clashes defined between teams from both groups.
The losers of the quarter-finals compete in the Taça Rio, which has undergone reformulation. Previously focused on teams eliminated in the group stage, the competition now exclusively brings together clubs that fall in the quarterfinals.
The winners of the quarterfinals advance to the semifinals, which will be played back and forth. The grand final of the Campeonato Carioca returns to the single-game format, with neutral command, and should be held at Maracanã, ending the 2026 edition in early March.
Carioca 2026: updated classification
MORE: SEGA Football Club Champions: how to play, download link and information
