Corinthians begin last-16 bid, eye fifth straight berth and payday | OneFootball

Corinthians return to action this Sunday (3) at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time) to face Internacional at Beira-Rio in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil round of 16. Beyond the fight for a place among the competition’s final eight, the match is also an opportunity to maintain a recent run of qualifications and increase the prize money already earned in the 2026 edition.

Timão are making their 30th appearance in the Copa do Brasil and have reached the round of 16 for the 28th time. In the tournament’s entire history, the club has only failed to reach this stage twice, in the 2017 and 2021 editions. In the previous 27 campaigns in which they played in the round of 16, they advanced 17 times and were eliminated ten times.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

Corinthians’ journey in the competition began in 1989. That year, the team eliminated Tiradentes-DF in the round of 16 before bowing out in the quarterfinals against Flamengo. Since then, the club has built a leading history in the Copa do Brasil, winning four titles in 1995, 2002, 2009, and 2025, as well as finishing runners-up four times, in 2001, 2008, 2018, and 2022.

In recent years, Corinthians have also built a positive streak in the round of 16. Since 2022, the club has always advanced to the quarterfinals. That year, they eliminated Santos. In 2023, they got past Remo on penalties after a draw on aggregate. The following season, they once again decided the spot in a penalty shootout, this time against Grêmio. In 2025, they beat Palmeiras 3-0 on aggregate before going on to win their fourth title.

Besides its sporting importance, qualification for the quarterfinals also represents a significant financial boost. So far, Corinthians have already secured R$ 5 million in prize money in this edition of the Copa do Brasil. The amount is made up of the R$ 2 million received for entering from the fifth round and the R$ 3 million earned for reaching the round of 16.

If they eliminate Internacional, the club will receive another R$ 4 million from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), taking their total earnings in the competition to R$ 9 million.

The amounts increase in the following stages. The semifinalists receive R$ 9 million each. The runners-up secure R$ 34 million, while the champions pocket R$ 78 million. If they repeat last season’s triumph, Corinthians could end their 2026 Copa do Brasil campaign with R$ 96 million in prize money.

Besides the financial return, the competition also offers a place in the Copa Libertadores. The champions secure direct qualification to the group stage of the following edition, while the runners-up play in the preliminary stage of the continental tournament.

In the current edition, Corinthians made their debut in the fifth round against Barra-SC. The team won both matches 1-0. Jesse Lingard scored the winning goal in the first leg away from home, while Yuri Alberto sealed qualification at Neo Química Arena.

Corinthians’ record in the Copa do Brasil round of 16

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