CBF unveils 2026 youth calendar, expands national tournaments

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Central do Timão

·26 December 2025

CBF unveils 2026 youth calendar, expands national tournaments

By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial Team

The CBF announced last Wednesday the official calendar for the men's youth football competitions for the 2026 season. The plan presents significant changes compared to previous years, with the inclusion of new tournaments, the restructuring of existing competitions, and an increase in the number of matches throughout the year — a scenario that will have a direct impact on Corinthians.

One of the main novelties is the return of the Supercups of Brazil U-20 and U-17, absent from the calendar since 2021. The competitions are scheduled for the end of the season and will bring together the winners of the Brazilian Championship and the Brazil Cup of each category, functioning as a clash between the champions of the year.

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Photo: Rodrigo Gazzanel/Ag. Corinthians

Another significant change is the creation of the Brazil Cup U-15, a new tournament organized by the entity. The competition will feature 32 clubs and will adopt a mixed model. The first phase will be regionalized, with eight groups formed by four teams. Next, the round of 16 will be played in a single match. From the quarterfinals onwards, the matches will take place at a single venue, including the final and the third-place playoff.

The Brazil Cup U-20 will also undergo a significant expansion. The number of participants will be doubled, going from 32 to 64 teams, resulting in a more extensive calendar. The initial phases and the title decision will occur in single matches, while the round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals will be played in home-and-away matches.

The Brazilian Championships U-20 Series A and U-17 will also have adjustments in their format. Although they will maintain 20 clubs each, the competitions will have more games. The main change is in the knockout stages: quarterfinals and semifinals will be held in home-and-away matches, following the same pattern already adopted in the final.

On the other hand, some competitions remain without structural changes. This is the case for the Brasileirão U-20 Series B, the Brazil Cup U-17, the Northeast Cup U-20, and the Development League U-13, which will maintain the formats used in recent editions.

The calendar released by the CBF also establishes the base dates for the tournaments in 2026. The Brazilian Championship U-20 Series A will be held between February and September, while the Brasileirão U-17 will take place from May to December. The Brazil Cup U-20 is scheduled for the last four months of the year, and the Supercups U-20 and U-17 are expected to be held in December.

Finally, the entity confirmed that there will be no rounds of the Brazilian Championships U-20 Series A and B during FIFA Dates, in order to preserve the preparation periods for the youth national teams. The CBF also highlighted that the calendar may undergo adjustments, as international youth competitions, such as the U-17 World Cup and the Evolution League U-15, have not yet had their dates defined.

See the dates of the youth competitions:

Brasileirão Series A U-20: February 22 to September 2

Brazil Cup U-17: February 24 to May 26

Development League U-13: March 23 to 29

Brasileirão Series B U-20: April 1 to July 22

Brazil Cup U-15: April 26 to August 1

Brasileirão U-17: May 30 to December 12

Northeast Cup U-20: August 8 to September 26

Brazil Cup U-20: September 9 to December 2

Supercup of Brazil U-20: December 9

Supercup of Brazil U-17: December 16

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