The CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) has made important changes to the Brazilian football calendar, extending the Brazilian Championship season, reducing the State Championships to 11 dates(concurrently with the national tournament in some weeks), and creating Regional tournaments. It adjusted dates and developed a new format for the Copa do Brasil (Brazil Cup)—that one turned out perfectly.

However, despite having become more interesting, clubs will still be overloaded with games. The possibility of fully adjusting the calendar to match the European one is still open for discussion. With that, many things could still be improved. Nevertheless, let’s be honest, a great first step has been taken.

Here are some important observations:

The State Championships have always been contested. The São Paulo Federation (FPF) had the most valued one and will have to settle for just 11 rounds (will they truly accept it?). The other federations didn’t complain, but let’s remember: it recently surfaced that these entities receive hefty funds from the CBF, in addition to another payment for their presidents (popularly known as a ‘monthly allowance’). How can they be against it?

Still regarding the FPF: whoever pays for 16 rounds will demand a reduction if it drops to 11. And let’s recall: Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos is part of the opposition group to Samir Xaud (who belongs to the Ricardo Teixeira, Marco Polo Del Nero and friends group). Could this be, in addition to a reform of Brazilian tournaments, a political power struggle? If so, point for the current administration, as it has inconvenienced the opposition and will inevitably affect their coffers.

We also had another novelty: the creation of regional tournaments. If we already have the Copa do Nordeste (Northeast Cup – today, the team in Brazil that played the most was Bahia, as they reached that tournament’s final), we will have others, such as the Center-West, North, and, notably, the South-Southeast.

Are they necessary? Couldn’t teams that don’t have international competition be given a “rest” with the huge number of games? Wouldn’t it be more prudent for the CBF to think about the small clubs without a national calendar, instead of overloading the life of those who already have one?

As we can see, we will have games every mid-week, in addition to the obvious weekend, from January until the beginning of December. Those who are successful will reach the end of the year with an absurd number of matches played (and if we didn’t have the State Championships, everything would be easier). Why not create 5th or even 6th regionalized divisions, with a broader calendar, for all of Brazil? Aberrations like short-format tournaments (like the A4 Paulista), where little is played and many become unemployed, would be better adapted in a more judicious national division, with regionalization and rationality.

To understand: the South-Southeast Cup will be formed by teams without international tournaments. For example: if Corinthians, in 2025, is not in the Libertadores or the Sudamericana, they will play in the South-Southeast. In a curious relationship, we can understand that in the NATIONAL league, whoever fails to qualify for a CONTINENTAL tournament, qualifies for the REGIONAL. The revenue, obviously, must be smaller.

The website Planeta do Futebol simulated: if the criteria for the South-Southeast Cup (disclosed by the CBF according to national and state tournaments) were applied from 2024 to 2025, this year’s competition would feature the following teams: Santos, Red Bull Bragantino, Nova Iguaçu, Boavista, América-MG, Tombense, Juventude, Caxias, Athletico, Maringá, Criciúma, and Brusque. I don’t know if that would be attractive… For example: Santos-SP vs Red Bull Bragantino-SP is a top-tier game for the Paulistão and the Brasileirão, so it would have good appeal. But, respectfully, what about Boavista-RJ x Maringá-PR? or Tombense-MG x Caxias-RS? Whoever sponsors, pays because they want a financial return.

In conclusion: for every house renovation, there is dirt, debris, discarded material, and ideas discussed. The proposal is to change an environment for something better and more functional. The reform of an annual football calendar is the same. There will be complaints, discussion, and there must necessarily be suggestions for improvement.

Let’s wait and see!