Corinthians end first half among Serie A's busiest teams in 2026 | OneFootball

The break in the schedule for the World Cup marks the end of the first part of the season for Brazilian clubs. Among the Série A teams, Corinthians is among those that have played the most in 2026, totaling 37 official matches so far.

Timão shares sixth place in the ranking with Atlético-MG, Cruzeiro, and Grêmio. Ahead of the black-and-white club are only Chapecoense (41 matches), Vitória (40), Botafogo (39), as well as Palmeiras and Flamengo, both with 38 games played.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

The high number of matches reflects the intense schedule Corinthians faced in the first months of the year. The team had to juggle the Campeonato Paulista, the Brazilian Championship, the Copa do Brasil, and the Conmebol Libertadores, a competition in which it secured qualification for the round of 16 under Fernando Diniz.

In addition to official commitments, the packed schedule also directly affected the squad’s physical wear and tear. Since the start of the season, Corinthians has dealt with injury issues and had to manage the players’ workload amid a string of matches in different competitions.

During a press conference after the win over Grêmio, Fernando Diniz highlighted the group’s need for rest before the season resumes. The coach stressed that many players practically did not have enough time to recover between the end of 2025 and the start of 2026.

The last match before the break was the 3-1 win over Grêmio at the Arena do Grêmio, a result that took Corinthians to 24 points in the Brazilian Championship and secured a more comfortable position in the table before the vacation period.

The club’s 37 matches so far are spread across the different competitions on the national and continental calendar. In addition to its Brasileirão campaign, Corinthians advanced to the Libertadores round of 16 and is still alive in the Copa do Brasil, keeping open the possibility of competing for titles in the second half of the year.

With the break, the squad will have a vacation period before returning to CT Dr. Joaquim Grava. The coaching staff will use the midseason period to recover players, improve physical and tactical aspects, and prepare the team for the decisive stretch of the season.

Among Série A clubs, only eight teams played more matches than Corinthians before the break. The number reinforces the demanding schedule faced by the black-and-white squad and highlights the importance of the rest period before competitions resume.

Série A clubs with the most matches played in 2026 up to the World Cup break

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