Check out the groups for the first Copa Sul-Sudeste | OneFootball

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) held the draw for the groups of the first phase of the inaugural edition of the Copa Sul-Sudeste on the afternoon of Tuesday (3rd), at its headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. The event placed the 12 participating teams into two groups, with six teams in each.

Check out the groups:

Group A: Sampaio Corrêa-RJ, Novorizontino-SP, Caxias-RS, Tombense-MG, Cianorte-PR, and Chapecoense-SC.

Group B: Volta Redonda-RJ, São Bernardo-SP, Juventude-RS, América-MG, Operário-PR, and Avaí-SC.

Groups of the first phase of the 2026 Copa Sul-SudesteCredits: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

The tournament will take place from March 25 to June 7, an exclusive period for the regional cups (Copa Verde and Copa do Nordeste), ensuring predictability in the teams’ schedules. The champion will secure a spot in the third phase of the 2027 Copa do Brasil.

Each club will play three home games and three away games. The club that will host the match against the other representative from its state will be the club in Group A. In total, there will be 42 matches over ten matchdays. Each team will play six games, while the finalists will have played a maximum of ten.

CBF president Samir Xaud emphasized that the creation of the Copa Sul-Sudeste, as well as the expansion of the Copa Verde and Copa do Nordeste, is part of the current administration’s policy to increase growth opportunities for clubs at the base of the national football pyramid. For this reason, all regional competitions are guaranteed broadcast by television networks or streaming platforms. The Copa Sul-Sudeste, for example, will have its games broadcast by SportyNet and X Sports.

CBF President Samir Xaud during the draw for the regional cup groupsCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

“The CBF listened to clubs, federations, market representatives, and relied on the dedication of various internal departments so that we could present a more rational schedule, respecting two fundamental premises: reducing the number of matches played by Série A clubs and offering more games for the base of the Brazilian football pyramid,” said Xaud.

“Today’s event is precisely about that second point. We are going to energize our sport in every corner of the country, providing opportunities for clubs to stay active and creating a sustainable environment, which will consequently strengthen the regional cups themselves,” he added.

Groups of the first phase of the 2026 Copa Sul-SudesteCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

See the competition format:

1st Phase (Groups): 2 groups, with 6 clubs each, single round-robin outside the group – 36 matches in this phase

2nd Phase (Semifinals): The top 2 from each group advance and play home-and-away matches to decide the spot

3rd Phase (Finals): The title is decided in home-and-away matches

Coordination

The Copa Sul-Sudeste will be coordinated by Hélio Cury, former CBF vice-president and former president of the Paraná State Football Federation (FPF), who commented on the responsibility of leading this unprecedented competition in the national calendar.

“It is a great satisfaction, I did not expect to be called and I thank President Samir for the invitation. I will dedicate myself and delve into all the processes, but I have a lifetime of experience in football. We will conduct it in the best way, value and support it with seriousness, which is fundamental,” he stated.

Copa Sul-Sudeste coordinator Hélio Cury during the draw for the regional cup groupsCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

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