Brazil · Football economics
Why Brazil’s Série C grows to 24 clubs before changing format at 28
Maringá’s 2026 title closed Brazil’s last 20-club Série C season. The third division is scheduled to add four clubs in 2027 while keeping its stages, then switch to two 14-club groups and increase relegation in 2028.
Sources checked
- 202620
First phase, second phase and final · 2 Source 1
- 202724
First phase, second phase and final retained · 2 Source 1
- 202828
Two 14-club groups, playing home and away · 6 Source 1
Club numbers increase in both seasons, but the format and relegation change are scheduled for 2028.
Maringá won the final 20-club edition
The CBF reported that Maringá, Ferroviária, Santa Cruz and Inter de Limeira earned promotion to Série B after the 2026 competition. Itabaiana and Confiança went down to Série D. Maringá defeated Ferroviária in the final. Source 1
Six clubs came up from the fourth division
The clubs promoted from Série D for 2027 were ABC, ASA, Gama, Goiatuba, Nacional-AM and Uberlândia. The six upward places and two downward places between the divisions create a net gain of four places for Série C at that boundary. CBF’s calendar sets the 2027 third-division field at 24. Source 1 Source 2
The first expansion keeps the existing stages
The CBF says the 24-club edition keeps the first phase, second phase and final, and still sends two clubs down. That gives 2027 a larger starting field before the separate format change. The number of clubs is the figure that changes first. Source 1 Source 2
The second expansion changes how many clubs go down
The 2028 plan creates two groups of 14 with home and away fixtures and sends six clubs down to the 2029 Série D. Two places out of 24 equal about 8.3% of the 2027 field. Six out of 28 equal about 21.4% of the 2028 field. Those percentages compare scheduled places, rather than forecasting any club’s risk. Source 1 Source 2