Corinthians reach FIFA Champions Cup final as opener streak extends to 29 years | OneFootball

Corinthians beat Gotham FC 1-0 on Wednesday morning to reach the FIFA Champions Cup final, extending their remarkable run of unbeaten season openers to 29 years.

According to Meu Timao, the women’s side have not started a season with defeat since 1997, the year the department launched. Across 17 active seasons, those openers produced 15 wins and two draws.

The sequence began in 1997 when the Paulista returned after a decade away, with all four state giants entering. Corinthians beat USP 3-2 and finished third. In 1998 the expanded competition saw a 9-0 debut win over São Judas before elimination in the final by Portuguesa.

After two years out, they returned in 2001, opened with a 2-1 victory over Palmeiras and again ended third. In 2005, partnering Mackenzie, they drew 2-2 with Nova Granada and kept the opening-day record intact.

With their own team in 2008 and 2009, they thrashed Kurdana 5-0 then began with a 2-2 draw against São José. They finished fourth in both seasons, Nilda striking 26 times in 2008, sharing top scorer with Grazi, and 19 in 2009.

The department was reactivated seven years later, launching the current era in 2016, initially alongside Audax. Since then, the Brabas have won every season opener across 10 years. The first fixture fell in the Brasileiro in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021, the Paulista in 2018, and the Supercopa in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

For 2021, the count uses the first official match of that year, not the 2020 Libertadores held in March 2021. The final is on Sunday, the first of February, against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, kick-off 15:00.

Source: Meu Timao