One week before the start of the regional cups scheduled in the national football calendar, created or reorganized by the CBF, the clubs that will compete in the Copa Sul-Sudeste, Copa do Nordeste and Copa Verde still do not know the value of the quotas they will receive for participating in the competitions.
Managers interviewed by the report, on condition of anonymity, state that the lack of definition compromises the teams’ sporting and financial planning. Without knowing how much they will receive, clubs are internally discussing the possibility of choosing alternative formations, with athletes from the youth teams or secondary squads, to reduce costs and avoid wear and tear on an already pressured calendar.
Some managers are also waiting for the values to be defined to complete the signing of players for the remainder of the season.
Uncertainty also affects the attractiveness of tournaments themselves. The competitions were designed to occupy dates simultaneously with periods of international games, competing for public attention with events with greater appeal, such as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana — clubs involved in these disputes are left out of the regional cups.
The CBF says it works to inform clubs about the quota as soon as possible. Still without an official position, the idea is to pass on the details to the teams this Wednesday (18). Wanted by Sheetthe entity said that it still did not have a definition on the topic.
The calendar for the three competitions is aligned, with all starting on the 24th and with their finals scheduled for June 7th, within a ten-date range. The groups were defined in a draw carried out by the CBF on the 3rd, at the entity’s headquarters, in Rio de Janeiro.
The Northeast Cup will feature 20 clubs, divided into four groups with five teams each. In the first phase, 60 matches will be played. The champion guarantees a place in the third phase of the 2027 Copa do Brasil.
The Copa Verde, which is in its 13th edition, will have an expanded format, with 24 clubs from the North, Central-West and Espírito Santo regions. The teams were divided into two blocks —Copa Norte and Copa Centro-Oeste— and, in the first phase, organized into four groups with six clubs each.
In total, there will be 70 matches, also over ten dates, with the champions of each block securing a place in the 2027 Copa do Brasil.
In the case of the South-Southeast Cup, which will have its first edition, 12 clubs from the South and Southeast regions participate in the tournament. In the initial phase, the teams face each other in a crossover system, with each club playing six matches — three as home and three as visitors. The two best advance to the semi-finals, played in a round-trip format, as well as the final.
In total, the South-Southeast Cup will have 42 games, also distributed over ten dates. As in other competitions, the champion secures a place in the third phase of the 2027 Copa do Brasil.
On the 3rd, the CBF announced, at the group draw event for each tournament, agreements for broadcasting the competitions on different platforms. SportyNet will show games from the Copa Verde, Copa Sul-Sudeste and Copa do Nordeste. Canal do Benja will broadcast matches from the Copa Verde and Copa do Nordeste, while X Sports acquired packages from the Copa Sul-Sudeste. SBT Nordeste complements the broadcast of the Copa do Nordeste.
Despite the agreements reached, the lack of definition regarding the amounts to be paid to the clubs reinforces the perception of disorganization at the start of the competitions and increases uncertainty about the technical level and commercial interest of the tournaments.
