The 2023 season is Clube de Regatas do Flamengo's 128th year of existence, their 112th football season, and their 53rd in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, having never been relegated from the top division. In addition to the 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Flamengo will also compete in the Supercopa do Brasil, Recopa Sudamericana, CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores, the Copa do Brasil, and the Campeonato Carioca, the top tier of Rio de Janeiro's state football. Due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup being played in the December 2022 the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup moved its schedule to February 2023 into the Brazilian season, as the current Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo will play the competition for the second time.
Kits The 2023 home kit has been unveiled on 26 January in an event in the club's headquarter. The shirt has returned to being mostly red and has debuted in Supercopa do Brasil against Palmeiras.
On 13 April 2023, Flamengo debut the goalkeeper's first kit for the 2023 season in a Copa do Brasil match against Maringá.
On 10 May 2023, Flamengo and Adidas launched the team's away kit for the 2023 season.
On 24 May 2023, Flamengo debut the goalkeeper's second kit for the 2023 season in a Copa Libertadores match against Ñublense.
On 6 September 2023, Flamengo and Adidas officially presented the club's new third kit, mainly in black.
On 5 November 2023, Flamengo debut the goalkeeper's third kit for the 2023 season in a Campeonato Brasileiro Série A match against Fortaleza.
Supplier: Adidas Sponsors: Banco BRB (Main sponsor) / Mercado Livre (Back of the shirt) / Assist Card (Lower back) / Pixbet (Shoulder) / Sil Cabos (Sleeves) / TIM (Numbers) / ABC da Construção (Shorts)
Season summary Pre-season
On 14 November 2022, Filipe Luís extended his contract for another year until 31 December 2023.
On 25 November 2022, head coach Dorival Júnior announced he and Flamengo mutually decided to not extend his contract for another season.
On 13 December 2022, Flamengo and Vítor Pereira agreed to sign the Portuguese as the new head coach. Despite the agreement both sides decided to not turn official until his contract runs out with Corinthians to avoid any legal problem.
On 14 December 2022, Vitor Gabriel extended his contract for another six months until 30 June 2024 and then loaned to Ceará for the 2023 season.
On 16 December 2022, David Luiz extended his contract for another year until 31 December 2023. On the same day Flamengo announced the permanent transfer of Ayrton Lucas with a €7m transfer fee, he signed a contract with the club until 31 December 2027.
On 31 December 2022, Flamengo announced an agreement with Olympique de Marseille to transfer back Gerson in a €15m transfer fee.
January
After the opening of the transfer window Flamengo presented Vítor Pereira as the new head coach on 3 January and Gerson on 5 January. Rodinei left the club at the end of contract moving to Super League Greece club Olympiacos and Matheus Thuler, previously on loan, made a permanent deal with J1 League club Vissel Kobe in a €910k transfer fee.
On 9 January, Flamengo confirmed Agustín Rossi signed a pre contract, moving on a free transfer from Boca Juniors at the end of his contract on 1 July. Flamengo still intended to pay a financial compensation to have the Argentine Goalkeeper already in January. Although Boca Juniors refused to hear any offer and moved him on loan to Al Nassr until June.
On 12 January, Hugo Souza transferred to Vissel Kobe on a €1.2m transfer fee, with Flamengo retaining 50% of a future transfer. Although, two days later Hugo withdrew the transfer claiming personal problems. Also on 12 January the club announced that Guillermo Varela, previously on loan, signed a pre contract for a permanent deal starting at the end of his constract with Dynamo Moscow on 1 July.
Due to calendar conflicts with FIFA Club World Cup the Campeonato Carioca started earlier for Flamengo with the matchday 5 match against Audax Rio being moved to 12 January. For the fourth season in a row Flamengo decided to play the first Campeonato Carioca matches with youth team players and younger professionals, this time with Mário Jorge (current U20 coach) as the head coach. In the opening match against Audax Rio Flamengo won 1–0, Matheus França scored the only goal of the match.
The draw of the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup was held on 13 January 2023 in Salé, Morocco, and decided the matchups of the second round and the opponents of the two second round winners in the semi-finals. Flamengo was scheduled to play on 7 February against the winner of the match between Wydad Casablanca and Al Hilal.
Vítor Pereira debuted as Flamengo head coach in the second match of the season, a 4–1 win against Portuguesa on 15 January.
On 19 January, was announced Ramon's transfer to Olympiacos, the Greek side agreed to pay a €1.5m transfer fee and Flamengo kept 30% of a future transfer.
Against Bangu on 24 January, once again Flamengo was managed by Mario Jorge and played with members of youth team plus Rodrigo Caio, still recovering from injury. Lorran scored Flamengo's only goal becoming the youngest goal scorer in club's history with 16 years and 204 days.
On 25 January, Pedro extended his contract until 31 December 2027.
After a battle between Olympique Lyonnais and Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign João Gomes, the midfielder finally transferred to the English side on 26 January. The Premier League club agreed to pay a €18.7m fee plus future clauses.
On 27 January, Léo Pereira extended his contract until 31 December 2027.
In a thrilling match with seven goals scored on 28 January Flamengo lost the Supercopa do Brasil to Palmeiras 4–3.
February On 7 February, Flamengo debuted in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup against Saudi club Al Hilal and surprisingly lost 3–2 after playing the entire second half with one player less. Four days later on 11 February, Flamengo played the third place match against Egypt club Al Ahly winning 4–2 with Pedro and Gabriel Barbosa each scoring a brace. On this match Giorgian de Arrascaeta reached the mark of 200 official matches for the club.
On 15 February, Flamengo won Volta Redonda 3–1 and despite missing a penalty kick Gabriel Barbosa once again scored two goals reaching the club's top 10 all-time top scorers.
On 21 February, Flamengo played the first leg of the 2023 Recopa Sudamericana against Independiente del Valle. The match was played in the Estadio Banco Guayaquil in Quito. The Ecuadorian club won 1–0, goal scored in a header by Mateo Carabajal.
On 23 February, Matheus França extended his contract with Flamengo until 31 December 2028.
On 28 February, the second leg of the Recopa Sudamericana was played at the Maracanã Stadium with a season record attendance of 71,411. Flamengo won 1–0, Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored the winning goal on the last play of the match on the 96th minute. The score forced extra time which remained scoreless. Ironically Giorgian de Arrascaeta missed the only penalty kick in the shootout as Independiente del Valle lifted the trophy for the first time.
March On 5 March, Flamengo lost the first Clássico dos Milhões of the season 1–0 against Vasco da Gama, the only goal was scored by José Luis Rodríguez. Three days later on 8 March, Flamengo lost its second city derby on a row, this time the Fla–Flu. Despite scoring first with Everton Flamengo let Fluminense come from behind with Germán Cano and Gabriel Pirani winning 2–1. With this result Flamengo, already qualified to the Campeonato Carioca semi-finals, dropped two spots finishing third in the overall table.
After finishing in third place in the Taça Guanabara Flamengo would face Vasco da Gama again in the semi-finals. On 13 March the clubs played the first leg in a match full of defensive mistakes Vasco da Gama opened the score early, but Flamengo managed to come from behind winning 3–2, including a beautiful Giorgian de Arrascaeta's goal from a long range. The second leg was played six days later on 19 March. Flamengo won once again, this time 3–1 reaching the Campeonato Carioca finals for the third time in a row.
April
On 1 April, the Campeonato Carioca finals first leg was played. Flamengo faced Fluminense for the second year in a row and had a solid match winning 2–0, Ayrton Lucas and Pedro scored the goals.
On 5 April, the Copa Libertadores defending champions Flamengo debuted in the 2023 edition. Playing in Ecuador against Aucas, a club that never played in the top continental competition before, head coach Vítor Pereira decided to mix the starting line-up considering the second match of the Campeonato Carioca finals to be played four days later. Even with Flamengo scoring first with Matheus França the team allowed Aucas to come from behind and win 2–1.
Despite a strong finals first leg, on the second fixture Flamengo played a terrible match being dominated by Fluminense and losing 4–1 on 9 April. Another disappointing result in the season increasing the pressure over the Portuguese head coach.
With the series of bad results in the beginning of the season club's directors decided to sack Vítor Pereira on 11 April, appointing Mário Jorge as caretaker for the following matches.
The first match played after the departure of Vítor Pereira was played on 13 April, the first leg of the 2023 Copa do Brasil third round against Campeonato Brasileiro Série D club Maringá. Playing away Flamengo had another bad match and lost 2–0, including an own goal scored by David Luiz.
On 14 April, Flamengo officially announced Jorge Sampaoli as the club's new head coach.
Flamengo debuted in 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A still under Mário Jorge control on 16 April, at the Maracanã Stadium Flamengo easily beat Coritiba 3–0.
The first match under Jorge Sampaoli control was played on 19 April against Chilean club Ñublense, a Copa Libertadores fixture at Maracanã Stadium. Flamengo didn't have any trouble to win 2–0, both goals scored by Pedro and assisted by Marinho.
On 26 April, the 2023 Copa do Brasil third round second leg match was played at Maracanã Stadium. An early goal scored by Thiago Maia in the second minute led Flamengo to an 8–2 win reverting the bad result in the first leg and advancing to the next phase with an 8–4 on aggregate score. Pedro scored four goals, the second time he did this as a Flamengo player, and Arturo Vidal netted two assists.
May On 18 May, Flamengo officially announced that Luiz Araújo will transfer from Atlanta United, on the next transfer window in July, for a €9m transfer fee.
June On 5 June, Flamengo and Vasco da Gama played another Clássico dos Milhões derby, this time in the 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A at Maracanã Stadium. Flamengo dominated almost the entire match winning 4–1, all Mengão goals were scored in the first half.
July
In the first fixture of the month, a Campeonato Brasileiro Série A match against Fortaleza, Flamengo won at home 2–0 with Gabriel Barbosa scoring the first goal of the evening and reaching the mark of 150 total goals for Flamengo, becoming the ninth player in club's history to achieve this number.
On 2 July, Allan has been officially announced as Flamengo's new player. Mengão signed him from rivals Atlético Mineiro for a €8.2m transfer free plus future bonus clauses. On the same day Goalkeeper Hugo Souza moved on a one-year loan to Primeira Liga club Chaves.
On 4 July 2023, Vitor Gabriel moved to K League 1 club Gangwon FC on a deal worth €550k.