See what Santos need on the final day to clinch a Copa Sul-Americana spot | OneFootball

Santos heads into the final round of the Brazilian Championship with a clear mission: to secure its place in Serie A. The match against Cruzeiro, this Sunday at 4:00 p.m. (Brasília time), at Vila Belmiro, requires a simple win to avoid relegation without depending on other results. A victory, however, could bring more than just relief. It could also mean a spot in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana.

What’s at stake?

Currently, the top 13 teams in the Brasileirão qualify for the Sudamericana. Santos sits in 14th place, with 44 points. Just above are Atlético-MG (13th) and Vasco (12th), both with 45 points, and who face each other this round in Belo Horizonte.

✔️ If they win

A win automatically puts Santos ahead of at least one of their two direct rivals, regardless of the result of the match in the Minas Gerais capital.

➖❌ If they draw or lose

Even without a win, Santos can still reach the Sudamericana. That’s because Cruzeiro, Corinthians, Fluminense, and Vasco, semifinalists of the Copa do Brasil, are all in the G-13. If any of them win the title, a new spot will open up via the Brasileirão, increasing the number of qualifiers.

In this scenario, however, Santos would have to root against Ceará, Fortaleza, and Vitória, who would need to stumble in the final round for Peixe to remain in 14th place and inherit the spot.

Qualification probability

According to the Mathematics Department of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Santos has a 21% chance of securing a place in the continental competition next season.

CHECK ALSO: See what Santos needs in the final round to stay in Serie A

📊 See the standings

12) Vasco – 45 points, 13 wins, 0 goal difference 13) Atlético-MG – 45 points, 11 wins, -6 goal difference 14) Santos — 44 points, 11 wins, -8 goal difference 15) Ceará — 43 points, 11 wins, -4 goal difference 16) Fortaleza — 43 points, 11 wins, -13 goal difference 17) Vitória — 42 points, 10 wins, -18 goal difference

📅 Matches of the 38th round

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