Brazil sports update: New football formats and youth tournaments

Various regional and national sports competitions are underway across Brazil. In Pernambuco, the Campeonato Pernambucano is undergoing a major restructuring for the 2026/2027 season, unifying the A1 and A2 series into a single competition featuring 31 clubs. The tournament will feature a regionalized first phase starting in October 2026.

In youth football, the Copa do Brasil Sub-20 is expanding to its largest edition ever with 64 participating clubs. Pará will be represented by Paysandu and Tuna Luso. Additionally, the JEBs Sub-18 female football competition is commencing in Camaragibe, Pernambuco, following the conclusion of the male tournament.

Other notable events include the Nordestão de Xadrez 2026 in João Pessoa, where six students from the municipal school system are competing at a high level. In Paraná, the Copa Paraná will open on August 29 with a match between Athletico and Paraná Clube. Meanwhile, the Criciúma Kids tournament in Santa Catarina is gathering approximately 300 children for youth football matches.

In university sports, a delegation of 370 representatives from Pernambuco is participating in the JUBs 2026 in Goiás. Furthermore, the Associação Meninos da Vila has successfully integrated 43 athletes into the Campeonato Paulista de Futebol de Base.