São Paulo’s Paulistão 2026 Schedule and Tournament Format Announced
São Paulo's fixtures and the revamped Champions League-style format for the 2026 Paulistão have been released, with key rivals set as opponents and knockout rounds detailed.
- • São Paulo’s 2026 Paulistão matches include Palmeiras, Corinthians, Santos, and others.
- • Tournament runs from January 11 to March 8, 2026, with 11 match dates.
- • Format inspired by UEFA Champions League: teams face group and five drawn opponents.
- • Top eight teams advance to single-match quarterfinals and semifinals.
- • Final will be played over two legs for the championship.
Key details
The Federação Paulista de Futebol (FPF) has officially revealed São Paulo’s match schedule and the overall format for the Paulistão 2026 season. The tournament is set to run from January 11 to March 8, 2026, featuring a group phase followed by knockout rounds.
São Paulo will compete against traditional rivals such as Palmeiras, Corinthians, and Santos, as well as against Mirassol, São Bernardo, Portuguesa, Ponte Preta, and Primavera in the first phase. The format, inspired by the UEFA Champions League group stage, includes teams facing opponents from their own group and five randomly drawn clubs from other groups. The top eight teams from this phase will advance to the quarterfinals.
The knockout stages, which include the quarterfinals and semifinals, will be played as single-elimination matches. The final will be contested over two legs to decide the champion. This change marks a reduction to 11 match dates in the season, with the first phase consisting of eight matches.
The tournament’s new structure was unveiled during an event at Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu on November 11, 2025, with club representatives in attendance. The format aims to intensify competition and excitement throughout the Paulistão, reflecting a modernized approach to the state championship.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.