The Campeonato Carioca Superbet was officially launched during an opening ceremony held at the Jockey Club in Rio de Janeiro.
The event brought together presidents, coaches and executives from the 12 participating clubs in the championship, alongside sponsors and figures from the political, legal and sporting worlds, as the state championship prepares for its 120th anniversary season in 2026.
Federation president Rubens Lopes welcomed guests and highlighted the competition’s new structure, which reduces the calendar to 10 matchdays while maintaining competitiveness.
According to Lopes, the revised format was agreed with the clubs to better align with Brazil’s congested football schedule.
“This will be a different Carioca, with fewer dates but one that reflects the reality of the Brazilian calendar,” Lopes said. “It is a short-format competition. There is no margin for error, even for the biggest clubs.”
One of the main changes is the introduction of a single-match final, alongside a shorter phase limited to six rounds. Teams will be split into two groups, with clubs from each group facing opponents from the opposite group to determine qualification.
The top four teams in each group will progress to the knockout stages, culminating in a final worth BR5.5m for the champion.
"The person who performs best will earn more. In other words, the competition has become even more attractive to all participants and the prize money is fairer," Lopes pointed out.
The tournament begins with Flamengo facing Portuguesa. Due to seasonal heat concerns, all matches will be scheduled from 5pm onwards.
To mark the 120th anniversary, the Carioca trophy will be named after respectable Brazilian sports broadcaster Washington “Apolinho” Rodrigues.
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