CBF unveils 2026 U20 league details, Corinthians learn their path

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Central do Timão

·7 February 2026

CBF unveils 2026 U20 league details, Corinthians learn their path

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Late Friday afternoon (6th), the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) released the details for the 2026 Under-20 Brazilian Championship. With this, Corinthians learned the order of their matches, although dates and times have not yet been set. According to the statement released by the entity, the national tournament is scheduled to begin on February 22, with the final set to take place on August 26 and September 2.

The 2026 edition will have the same format as in 2024 and 2025, consisting of 20 teams. During the first stage of the competition, the teams will face each other in a single round, with the top eight advancing to the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, the bottom three will be relegated to Serie B of the national tournament in the category. The new feature is in the quarterfinals and semifinals, which will now be played over two legs, unlike the last two years.

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Photo: Rodrigo Gazzanel/Agência Corinthians

Additionally, the winner of the 2026 Under-20 Brazilian Championship will secure a spot in the Supercopa do Brasil for the category, which returns to the youth football calendar in Brazil. The final will be played against the winner of the Copa do Brasil in the category. Corinthians' best performance in the tournament came in 2014, when they won the competition for the only time in their history. That year, the Timãozinho squad included names such as goalkeeper Caíque França (now at Guarani) and left-back Guilherme Arana (currently at Fluminense).

In the 2025 Under-20 Brasileirão, Corinthians finished only in 15th place with 20 points in 19 matches, facing the possibility of relegation until the last round. At the time, the team was still managed by Orlando Ribeiro, who left the club shortly after the tournament due to a series of further results in the national competition and inconsistency in the Paulista Championship. In 2024, when there was still no relegation, Timãozinho finished only third from last with 18 points in 19 games.

Corinthians' debut in the 2026 Under-20 Brazilian Championship is scheduled for February 22, Sunday, against América-MG, where they will play as hosts. Regarding the derbies, they will face Santos in the sixth round, with a tentative date of April 15, at home. Eleven days later, during the week of April 26, the club from Parque São Jorge will visit São Paulo in the eighth round. The Derby against Palmeiras is scheduled for the week of May 20, at home. The last match of the first stage of the tournament will be against Juventude, as visitors, on July 1.

Check out below the order of Corinthians' matches in the tournament:

1) Corinthians vs América-MG2) Bahia vs Corinthians3) Grêmio vs Corinthians4) Corinthians vs Fortaleza5) Botafogo vs Corinthians6) Corinthians vs Santos7) Criciúma vs Corinthians8) São Paulo vs Corinthians9) Corinthians vs Athletico-PR10) Corinthians vs Fluminense11) Cuiabá vs Corinthians12) Corinthians vs Vasco13) Corinthians vs Palmeiras14) RB Bragantino vs Corinthians15) Corinthians vs Avaí16) Corinthians vs Vitória17) Cruzeiro vs Corinthians18) Corinthians vs Flamengo19) Corinthians vs Juventude