Dominance and cash in the bank: why the Carioca matters to Flamengo in 2026 | OneFootball

Flamengo open their 2026 Campeonato Carioca campaign against Portuguesa, with the tournament carrying fresh sporting and financial weight. According to Coluna Do Fla, the state title underpins their recent supremacy and now comes with restored prize money.

The opener is set for Sunday 11 at 18:00 Brasília time at Estádio Raulino de Oliveira in Volta Redonda.

The current run began in 2019 under Abel Braga. Since then, Flamengo have lifted the Carioca in 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025, taking five of the last seven, with Fluminense champions in 2022 and 2023.

Crucially, prize money returns this year. In recent seasons, Flamengo won the trophy without receiving any payment.

For 2026, FERJ has set a R$ 10 million winners’ award, on top of sums earned for progressing through the stages.

The club will also receive a fixed R$ 10 million from broadcast rights, so a title could be worth more than R$ 20 million while further cementing their dominance in Rio.

Source: Coluna Do Fla