Copa do Brasil 2026: two Libertadores spots up for grabs | OneFootball

According to the newspaper Estadão, the 2026 Copa do Brasil will offer two spots for the Copa Libertadores da América, expanding the continental pathway through the national tournament. This change is part of a package of reforms in the Brazilian football calendar for the next season.

Until this year, only the Copa do Brasil champion secured a place in the Libertadores. In the 2026 edition, the runner-up will also secure a spot, which represents a major innovation in the continental qualification structure. The organization has not yet decided whether this runner-up spot will be directly in the group stage or will grant access to the Pre-Libertadores, with this decision to be officially announced in the coming weeks.

To accommodate this new model, the CBF will remove a spot traditionally allocated to the Campeonato Brasileiro, meaning the Libertadores via the Brasileirão will have one less exclusive spot, transferring this opportunity to the Copa do Brasil.

What changes in 2026

The expectation is that the CBF will officially publish the new rules soon, with more details about the allocation of spots and the technical criteria to be adopted in 2026.

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