The 2026 Campeonato Brasileiro Série D (officially the Brasileirão Série D ZeroUm 2026 for sponsorship reasons) was a football competition to be held in Brazil, equivalent to the fourth division. It began on 4 April and ended on 13 September.
Ninety-six teams competed in the tournament.
Format changes On 1 October 2025, CBF announced a format change to the Série D, expanding the competition from 64 teams to 96. Due to this expansion, the 32 teams qualified to the second stage of the 2025 edition were automatically qualified, and as four of those teams were promoted to the 2026 Série C, the confederation added one further spot to four regional federations based on the CBF State Ranking.
CBF also established four new criteria of qualification:
Criteria 1: Teams relegated from the 2025 Série C; Criteria 2: Teams qualified through the state leagues and state cups; Criteria 3: Teams qualified to the second stage of the 2025 Série D; Criteria 4: Best-placed teams in the CBF Club Ranking not qualified to any national division.
All of those criteria overlap each other, with criteria 1 being the most important one. If a team qualify to the 2026 Série D through criteria 2 and 3, their spot will be filled by the criteria 4, independent of their state.
Six teams are promoted instead of the previous four, with the competition beginning in the first stage with 16 groups of six teams each. The four best teams qualify to the second stage in a knockout format, which prevails until the finals. The 32 teams qualified from the second stage are also qualified to the 2027 Série D (excluding the six promoted teams), and the four teams qualified to the semifinals are promoted to the 2027 Série C, with the four teams eliminated in the quarterfinals playing a play-off stage to define the other two teams promoted to the third division.
The winners of the competition qualify directly to the third stage of the 2027 Copa do Brasil.
Teams
Federation ranking The number of teams from each state was chosen based on the CBF State Ranking. They are displayed in bold in the C2 column. RankFederationCoeff.1 São Paulo93,528041052 Rio de Janeiro61,308031263 Minas Gerais41,451130154 Rio Grande do Sul39,283031045 Paraná31,792031046 Ceará24,954030257 Goiás24,148032058 Santa Catarina23,938031049 Bahia23,6420310410 Pernambuco14,1581210411 Alagoas12,2401200312 Pará10,7100200213 Mato Grosso9,3460212514 Amazonas6,68802103156,1311200316 Paraíba5,5070201317 Maranhão5,4510211418 Sergipe5,0820200219 Distrito Federal3,6330211420 Piauí3,5450211421 Espírito Santo2,6230201322 Tocantins2,4350200223 Acre2,3060201324 Rondônia1,6480200225 Roraima1,5980201326 Mato Grosso do Sul1,4500200227 Amapá1,37502002
Participating teams FederationTeamHome cityQualification methodCriteria AcreIndependênciaRio Branco2025 Campeonato Acreano championsC2GalvezRio Branco2025 Campeonato Acreano runners-upC2HumaitáPorto Acre80th place in the CBF club rankingC4 AlagoasCSAMaceió2025 Série C 17th placeC1ASAArapiraca2025 Campeonato Alagoano runners-upC2CSEPalmeira dos Índios2025 Copa Alagoas championsC2 AmapáTremMacapá2025 Campeonato Amapaense championsC2OratórioMacapá2025 Campeonato Amapaense runners-upC2 AmazonasNacionalManaus2025 Campeonato Amazonense runners-upC2ManausManaus2025 Campeonato Amazonense 3rd placeC2ManauaraManaus2025 Série D 13th placeC3 BahiaJacuipenseRiachão do Jacuípe2025 Campeonato Baiano 3rd placeC2Atlético de AlagoinhasAlagoinhas2025 Campeonato Baiano 4th placeC2PortoPorto Seguro2025 Campeonato Baiano 5th placeC2JuazeirenseJuazeiro2025 Série D 24th placeC3 CearáMaracanãMaracanaú2025 Campeonato Cearense 3rd placeC2FerroviárioFortaleza2025 Campeonato Cearense 4th placeC2TirolFortaleza2025 Campeonato Cearense 5th placeC2Atlético CearenseFortaleza101st place in the CBF club rankingC4IguatuIguatu91st place in the CBF club rankingC4 Espírito SantoRio BrancoCariacica2025 Campeonato Capixaba championsC2VitóriaVitória2025 Copa ES championsC2Real NoroesteÁguia Branca96th place in the CBF club rankingC4 Federal DistrictGamaGama2025 Campeonato Brasiliense championsC2CapitalParanoá2025 Campeonato Brasiliense runners-upC2CeilândiaCeilândia2025 Série D 11th placeC3BrasilienseTaguatinga73rd place in the CBF club rankingC4 GoiásCRACCatalão2025 Campeonato Goiano 5th placeC2ABECATOuvidor2025 Campeonato Goiano 6th placeC2InhumasInhumas2025 Campeonato Goiano 7th placeC2GoiatubaGoiatuba2025 Série D 8th placeC3AparecidenseAparecida de Goiânia2025 Série D 9th placeC3 MaranhãoImperatrizImperatriz2025 Campeonato Maranhense runners-upC2IAPESão Luís2025 Campeonato Maranhense 3rd placeC2Sampaio CorrêaSão Luís2025 Série D 27th placeC3Moto ClubSão Luís106th place in the CBF club rankingC4 Mato GrossoPrimaveraPrimavera do Leste2025 Campeonato Mato-Grossense runners-upC2MixtoCuiabá2025 Campeonato Mato-Grossense 3rd placeC2LuverdenseLucas do Rio Verde2025 Série D 21st placeC3CEOVVárzea Grande102nd place in the CBF club rankingC4União RondonópolisRondonópolis92nd place in the CBF club rankingC4 Mato Grosso do SulOperárioCampo Grande2025 Campeonato Sul-Mato-Grossense championsC2IvinhemaIvinhema2025 Campeonato Sul-Mato-Grossense runners-upC2 Minas GeraisTombenseTombos2025 Série C 20th placeC1UberlândiaUberlândia2025 Campeonato Mineiro 6th placeC2BetimBetim2025 Campeonato Mineiro 7th placeC2Democrata GVGovernador Valadares2025 Campeonato Mineiro 8th placeC2Pouso AlegrePouso Alegre76th place in the CBF club rankingC4 ParáTuna LusoBelém2025 Campeonato Paraense 3rd placeC2Águia de MarabáMarabá2025 Campeonato Paraense 4th placeC2 ParaíbaSousaSousa2025 Campeonato Paraibano championsC2Serra BrancaCajazeiras2025 Campeonato Paraibano 3rd placeC2TrezeCampina Grande100th place in the CBF club rankingC4 ParanáCianorteCianorte2025 Campeonato Paranaense 6th placeC2AzurizMarmeleiro2025 Campeonato Paranaense 7th placeC2São JoseenseSão José dos Pinhais2025 Campeonato Paranaense 8th placeC2FC CascavelCascavel2025 Série D 30th placeC3 PernambucoRetrôCamaragibe2025 Série C 19th placeC1MaguaryBonito2025 Campeonato Pernambucano 4th placeC2DecisãoGoiana2025 Campeonato Pernambucano 6th placeC2CentralCaruaru2025 Série D 14th placeC3 PiauíPiauíTeresina2025 Campeonato Piauiense championsC2FluminenseTeresina2025 Campeonato Piauiense runners-upC2AltosAltos2025 Série D 10th placeC3ParnahybaParnaíba144th place in the CBF club rankingC4 Rio de JaneiroSampaio Corrêa-RJSaquarema2025 Campeonato Carioca 5th placeC2MadureiraRio de Janeiro2025 Campeonato Carioca 6th placeC2AmericaRio de Janeiro2025 Copa Rio runners-upC2MaricáMaricá2025 Série D 31st placeC3Nova IguaçuNova Iguaçu66th place in the CBF club rankingC4Portuguesa-RJRio de Janeiro78th place in the CBF club rankingC4ABCNatal2025 Série C 18th placeC1América de NatalNatal2025 Campeonato Potiguar championsC2LagunaTibau do Sul2025 Campeonato Potiguar 3rd placeC2 Rio Grande do SulSão LuizIjuí2025 Campeonato Gaúcho 6th placeC2Guarany de BagéBagé2025 Campeonato Gaúcho 7th placeC2Brasil de PelotasPelotas2025 Copa FGF championsC2São JoséPorto Alegre2025 Série D 19th placeC3 RondôniaPorto VelhoPorto Velho2025 Campeonato Rondoniense championsC2GuaporéRolim de Moura2025 Campeonato Rondoniense runners-upC2 RoraimaGASBoa Vista2025 Campeonato Roraimense championsC2Monte RoraimaBoa Vista2025 Campeonato Roraimense runners-upC2São RaimundoBoa Vista88th place in the CBF club rankingC4 Santa CatarinaSanta CatarinaRio do Sul2025 Campeonato Catarinense 3rd placeC2JoinvilleJoinville2025 Campeonato Catarinense 4th placeC2BlumenauBlumenau2025 Copa Santa Catarina 3rd placeC2Marcílio DiasItajaí2025 Série D 28th placeC3 São PauloVelo ClubeRio Claro2025 Campeonato Paulista 11th placeC2PortuguesaSão Paulo2025 Campeonato Paulista 12th placeC2NoroesteBauru2025 Campeonato Paulista 14th placeC2XV de PiracicabaPiracicaba2025 Copa Paulista championsC2Água SantaDiadema2025 Série D 25th placeC3 SergipeLagartoLagarto2025 Campeonato Sergipano 3rd placeC2SergipeAracaju2025 Copa Governo do Estado de Sergipe runners-upC2 TocantinsAraguaínaAraguaína2025 Campeonato Tocantinense championsC2TocantinópolisTocantinópolis2025 Campeonato Tocantinense runners-upC2
Format During the group stage, the 96 teams were divided into 16 groups of six, organised regionally. The top four teams from each group qualified for the round of 64. From this point onwards, the competition was played as a knockout tournament, with each round contested over two legs.
Group stage In the group stage, each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, the following criteria would be used to determine the ranking: 1. Wins; 2. Goal difference; 3. Goals scored; 4. Head-to-head (if the tie was only between two teams); 5. Fewest red cards; 6. Fewest yellow cards; 7. Draw in the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (Regulations Article 16). The top four teams qualified for the round of 64.
CBF published the 16 groups of six teams each on 6 March 2026.
Group A1
Group A2
Group A3
Group A4
Group A5
Group A6
Group A7
Group A8
Group A9
Group A10
Group A11
Group A12
Group A13
Group A14
Group A15
Group A16
Final stages The final stages were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. For the round of 32, round of 16, semi-finals, and finals, the team with the best overall performance hosted the second leg. For the quarter-finals and the promotion play-offs, teams were seeded based on the table of results of all matches in the competition. The top seeded teams hosted the second leg.
Except for the promotion play-offs, if teams were tied on aggregate at any stage, the away goals rule would not be used and extra time would not be played. Instead, a penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winners (Regulations Article 17). In the promotion play-offs, if teams were tied on aggregate, the winners would be declared based on their overall performance (Regulations Article 21).
The four semifinalists and the two promotion play-offs winners were promoted to 2027 Série C.
Round of 64 The round of 64 was a two-legged knockout tie, with the draw regionalised. The matches were played from 20 to 29 June. Matches
Round of 32 The matches were played from 4 to 13 July. Matches
Round of 16 The matches were played from 18 to 26 July. Matches
Quarter-finals The draw for the quarter-finals was seeded based on the table of results of all matches in the competition for the qualifying teams. The teams were ranked according to points. If tied on points, the following criteria would be used to determine the ranking: 1. Wins; 2. Goal difference; 3. Goals scored; 4. Fewest red cards; 5. Fewest yellow cards; 6. Draw in the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (Regulations Article 18).
Quarter-finals seedings Team 1 Gama3812+19 2 ABC3410+15 3 CSA329+23 4 ASA329+15 5 Goiatuba329+11 6 Uberlândia298+8 7 Nacional298+7 8 São José225–1
Matches The matches were played from 8 to 16 August.
Semi-finals The matches were played from 22 to 30 August.
Matches
Promotion play-offs The draw for the promotion play-offs was seeded based on the table of results of all matches in the competition for the qualifying teams. The teams were ranked according to points. If tied on points, the following criteria would be used to determine the ranking: 1. Wins; 2. Goal difference; 3. Goals scored; 4. Fewest red cards; 5. Fewest yellow cards; 6. Draw in the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (Regulations Article 21).
Promotion play-offs seedings Team 1 Goiatuba349+11 2 CSA329+20 3 Nacional298+5 4 São José235–5
Matches The matches were played from 26 August to 3 September.
Finals The matches were played on 6 and 13 September.
Matches
Top goalscorers