Copa do Brasil may get single-leg final, Vasco’s plans at risk | OneFootball

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) is preparing to announce this Wednesday (1st) a significant overhaul of the national football calendar for 2026. The changes, aimed at reducing the number of dates, will directly impact the planning of clubs like Vasco. The main and most controversial change under consideration is the format of the Copa do Brasil.

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Copa do Brasil may have a single-match final

The proposal gaining the most traction behind the scenes at the CBF is for the Copa do Brasil to have its final played in a single match at a neutral venue, starting in 2026, in a model similar to the Libertadores. Another alternative under discussion is to keep the final in two matches but have all previous phases in a single match.

The change would completely alter the clubs' strategy in the competition, where home advantage and the return match are currently decisive.

Vasco experiences the thrill of the current format

The discussions are happening precisely when Vasco is one of the protagonists of the 2025 edition. The club qualified for the semifinals and will face Fluminense in two matches at Maracanã, on December 10 and 14. The current campaign, with heroic qualifications on penalties, could be one of the last in the traditional format.

This year's cup decision, by the way, was only moved to December to avoid conflicting with the Intercontinental Cup, which may feature a Brazilian team.

Giant eliminated Botafogo on penalties – Photo: Thiago Ribeiro/AGIF

State championships and other competitions will also be altered

The CBF overhaul doesn't stop at the Copa do Brasil. The state championships are expected to be the most affected, with a drastic reduction from 16 to just 11 dates. The Green and Northeast Cups will also have new formats. The Brazilian Série D, in turn, is expected to expand from 64 to 96 clubs, while the creation of a Série E has been ruled out for now.

Pedrinho has a great relationship with the CBF president – Photo: CBF

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.