Cruzeiro schedules international friendlies in Brazil during World Cup break

Cruzeiro announced two preparatory friendly matches to be played while Brazil’s domestic calendar pauses for the 2026 World Cup. The first game will be against Uruguay’s Defensor Sporting at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte on 4 July at 16:00 local time. The club said the match will be open to the public, though ticket details have not yet been released.

The second friendly will pit Cruzeiro against fellow Brazilian side Grêmio at the Arena BRB Mané Garrincha in Brasília on 12 July. Tickets are already on sale online. Both fixtures are intended to give the team competitive minutes and fine‑tune tactics before the resumption of the Série A season in July.

The matches are part of Cruzeiro’s inter‑season program, which also includes a return to league action on 22 July against Internacional in Porto Alegre.