Brazil Football Business

Brazil · Football economics

How the women’s Copa do Brasil took 65 entrants to one final in 2025

Brazil’s women’s national cup returned in 2025 for the first time since 2016. Clubs entered at different rounds, creating two successive stages with 32 teams before the draw narrowed to 16.

Sources checked

Brazil Football Business Editorial Team

Follow the staggered entry roundsThe route from preliminary tie to final
  1. 01
    Preliminary round

    2 · One single-match tie Source 1

  2. 02
    Round one

    32 · Preliminary winner and 31 other clubs Source 1

  3. 03
    Round two

    32 · 16 round-one winners and 16 A2 entrants Source 1

  4. 04
    Round three

    32 · 16 round-two winners and 16 A1 entrants Source 1

  5. 05
    Round four

    16 · 16 round-three winners Source 1

  6. 06
    Quarterfinals

    8 · Eight round-four winners Source 1

A2 and A1 clubs join the cup in rounds two and three respectively.

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 Source 4

Why the tournament used a preliminary round

CBF confirmed 65 entrants and a preliminary tie between Juventude of Sergipe and Paraíso of Tocantins. With 16 A2 teams and 16 A1 teams entering later, the initial field had 33 teams. Eliminating one in a preliminary match gave the first round a 32-team bracket. Source 1 Source 2

Why the bracket showed 32 three times

The first round reduced its 32 entrants to 16. Sixteen A2 clubs then restored the field to 32 for round two. The same happened at round three, this time with 16 A1 clubs joining the second-round winners. After the A1 entry, every stage cut the field in half. Source 1

Every 2025 tie had one fixture

CBF set single matches throughout the competition, with penalties to decide a tie after regulation. Eliminating 64 of 65 entrants required 64 matches. Palmeiras won the final 4-2 against Ferroviária at Fonte Luminosa in Araraquara, where CBF reported an attendance of 3,602. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

The 2026 plan changed the late rounds

CBF announced 66 clubs and a 72-match schedule for the following edition. Entry remained staggered by tier, but the quarterfinals, semifinals and final shifted to home and away ties under the announced format. Those extra fixtures account for seven more matches beyond what a 66-team single-match cup would require. Source 4

Sources

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