How São Paulo can reach the Libertadores: fans back Cruzeiro, Fluminense | OneFootball

The 2025 Brasileirão has ended and São Paulo indeed finished in 8th place, currently outside the qualification zone for the next Libertadores. With the 1-0 defeat to Vitória this Sunday (7th), at Barradão, Hernán Crespo’s team remained with 51 points, staying in eighth place and thus, for now, securing a spot in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana.

Thus, Tricolor still has a chance to reach the 2026 Libertadores qualifying round, if another spot opens up via the Brasileirão. This will happen if one of these two teams wins the Copa do Brasil: Cruzeiro or Fluminense.

Both finished in the Brasileirão’s top 5 and already have guaranteed spots in the Libertadores group stage. They are also in the semifinals of the Copa do Brasil, a competition that grants another Brazilian team a place in the continental tournament.

The matches begin this Wednesday (10th), between Cruzeiro and Corinthians, and continue the next day with Vasco vs. Fluminense.

Therefore, if the team from Minas Gerais or the team from Rio lifts the champion’s trophy on December 21st, São Paulo will benefit with a spot in the Copa Libertadores, as an eighth spot will open up through the Campeonato Brasileiro.

If Cruzeiro and Fluminense win their semifinal matches, Tricolor will already know in advance that they have secured the spot, since either champion would help them. This could happen as soon as next weekend, on December 14th, even if it’s not deserved by Tricolor based on this year’s performance.

Now cheering from afar for the much-desired Libertadores spot, São Paulo will only return to the field on January 11th, a Sunday, for their 2026 season debut, against Mirassol, away from home, in the Campeonato Paulista.

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