Corinthians draw 1-1 with Cascavel as salary delays loom
On July 12, 2026, Corinthians played an inter‑season friendly against FC Cascavel at the Estádio Olímpico Regional in Cascavel, Brazil, ending in a 1‑1 draw. Matheus Pereira opened the scoring for the Timão, while Cascavel equalised through Cleiton. Coach Fernando Diniz used the match to test the squad, rotating players and giving minutes to recent signings. Key absences included Memphis Depay, on vacation after the World Cup, and defender Gustavo Henrique, who was sidelined for load‑management. The club received a R$2 million fee for the friendly, netting about R$1.5 million after taxes.
Ahead of the game, goalkeeper Hugo Souza addressed ongoing financial problems, saying: “É claro que sabemos… somos afetados quando o salário é atrasado, mas tenho certeza que a diretoria está trabalhando para resolver.” Corinthians has paid registered salaries but still owes image‑rights payments and a roughly US$1.5 million (≈R$7.8 million) debt that triggered a FIFA transfer ban. The club also owes roughly R$40 million in pending wages to striker Memphis Depay. The result was deemed a useful preparation before the Serie A restart on July 23 against Remo, but the financial strain and player‑contract issues remain a concern for the season ahead.