2026 Campeonato Cearense

Campeonato Cearense
Season2026
Dates6 January – 8 March
ChampionsFortaleza
RelegatedQuixadá
Tirol
Copa do BrasilCeará
Ferroviário
Fortaleza
Série DFerroviário
Horizonte
Iguatu
Copa do NordesteCeará
Fortaleza
Matches43
Goals94 (2.19 per match)
← 2025
2027 →

The 2026 Campeonato Cearense (officially the Campeonato Cearense Superbet 2026 for sponsorship reasons)[1] was the 112th edition of Ceará's top professional football league organized by FCF. The competition began on 6 January and ended on 8 March 2026.[2] Ceará were the defending champions.

Format

In the first stage, the 10 teams were drawn into two groups of five teams each.

Group A Group B

Each team played each of the other four teams once in a round-robin tournament. The top three teams from Groups A and B advanced to the second stage, forming Groups C and D, respectively. Meanwhile, the bottom two teams from Groups A and B played in the relegation stage. This stage was played in a single round-robin format. The bottom two teams were relegated to the 2027 Campeonato Cearense Série B.

In the second stage, each team participated in a single round-robin tournament against the three clubs from the other group. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the semi-finals, while the third-place teams competed for fifth place.[3]

During the first, second and relegation stages, the teams will be 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 will 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 FCF.

The fifth-place and the third-place matches will be played in a single-leg format. The team with the best overall performance will host the match. If tied, the penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the winners.

The semi-finals and the finals will be played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If tied on aggregate, the penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the winners. For the finals, the team with best overall performance will host the second leg.

The champions, runners-up, and third-place team will qualify for the 2027 Copa do Brasil. The top three teams that are not already qualified for the 2027 Série A, B, or C will qualify for the 2027 Série D.[4]

Teams

Club Home city Manager
Ceará Fortaleza Mozart
Ferroviário Fortaleza Nuno Pereira
Floresta Fortaleza Leston Júnior
Fortaleza Fortaleza Thiago Carpini
Horizonte Horizonte Adriano Albino
Iguatu Iguatu Washington Luiz
Maracanã Maracanaú Júnior Cearense
Maranguape Maranguape João Neto
Quixadá Quixadá Jazon Vieira
Tirol Fortaleza Ailton Silva

First stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Fortaleza 4 3 1 0 6 0 +6 10 Advance to the second stage
2 Ferroviário 4 2 2 0 5 3 +2 8
3 Horizonte 4 1 2 1 4 4 0 5
4 Quixadá 4 1 1 2 2 6 −4 4 Advance to relegation stage
5 Maracanã 4 0 0 4 1 5 −4 0
Source: FCF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Wins; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Fewest red cards; 6) Fewest yellow cards; 7) Draw.

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Ceará 4 3 1 0 7 2 +5 10 Advance to the second stage
2 Floresta 4 2 1 1 6 2 +4 7
3 Iguatu 4 1 3 0 4 2 +2 6
4 Maranguape 4 1 0 3 1 6 −5 3 Advance to relegation stage
5 Tirol 4 0 1 3 1 7 −6 1
Source: FCF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Wins; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Fewest red cards; 6) Fewest yellow cards; 7) Draw.

Second stage

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Fortaleza 3 1 2 0 2 1 +1 5 Advance to the semi-finals
2 Ferroviário 3 1 1 1 3 5 −2 4
3 Horizonte 3 0 1 2 1 6 −5 1 Advance to fifth place match
Source: FCF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Wins; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Fewest red cards; 6) Fewest yellow cards; 7) Draw.

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Ceará 3 2 1 0 9 1 +8 7 Advance to the semi-finals
2 Floresta 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 4
3 Iguatu 3 0 2 1 2 4 −2 2 Advance to fifth place match
Source: FCF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Wins; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Fewest red cards; 6) Fewest yellow cards; 7) Draw.

Relegation stage

Standings and Results

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Relegation MAR MCN QUI TIR
1 Maranguape 3 2 1 0 7 4 +3 7 1–1 3–2
2 Maracanã 3 1 1 1 5 4 +1 4 2–3
3 Quixadá 3 1 0 2 4 6 −2 3 Relegation to 2027 Série B 1–3 0–1
4 Tirol 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3 0–2
Source: FCF

Semi-finals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Ferroviário 0–4 Fortaleza 0–2 0–2
Floresta 0–7 Ceará 0–3 0–4

Group E

Ferroviário0–2Fortaleza
Bareiro 12'
Vitinho 57'
Referee: Raimundo Rodrigues de Oliveira Júnior
Fortaleza2–0Ferroviário
Lucas Sasha 7'
Pochettino 56'
Referee: Luciano da Silva Miranda Filho

Group F

Floresta0–3Ceará
Rafael Ramos 16'
Vina 39', 77'
Referee: Elizabete Esmeralda Cordeiro dos Santos Gomes
Ceará4–0Floresta
Matheusinho 5'
Wendel Silva 42', 78'
Luiz Otávio 60'
Referee: Léo Simão Holanda

Fifth place match

Iguatu3–1Horizonte
Cássio 5'
Alison Araçoiaba 57'
Piauí 66'		 Willian Anicete 15' (pen.)
Estádio Antônio Moreno de Mello, Iguatu
Referee: Raimundo Rodrigues de Oliveira Júnior

Third place match

Ferroviário1–0Floresta
Kiuan 87'
Referee: Antônio Magno Lima Cordeiro

Finals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Fortaleza 2–2 (5–4 p) Ceará 1–1 1–1

Group G

Fortaleza1–1Ceará
Lucas Emanoel 85' Lucca 90+1'
Referee: Rafael Rodrigo Klein (Rio Grande do Sul)
Fortaleza
Ceará
GK 12 Brenno
DF 22 Maílton
DF 2 Emanuel Brítez (c)
DF 3 Lucas Gazal
DF 4 Luan Freitas  24'
DF 18 Gabriel Fuentes
MF 29 Rodrigo  63'
MF 5 Pierre  79'
MF 88 Lucas Sasha  54'
FW 7 Tomás Pochettino  63'
FW 32 Luiz Fernando  79'
Substitutes:
GK 25 Vinícius Silvestre
DF 33 Kauã Rocha
DF 36 Guilherme Moura
MF 8 Ronald  63'
MF 10 Lucas Crispim  79'
MF 19 Lucas Emanoel  79'
MF 35 Bruninho
MF 37 Ryan
MF 38 Lucca Prior  63'
FW 11 Vitinho
FW 21 GB
FW 75 Rodriguinho
Coach:
Thiago Carpini  58'
GK 1 Richard (c)
DF 21 Alex Silva
DF 33 Éder
DF 18 Júlio César  70'
DF 4 Luiz Otávio
DF 17 Fernando  90+2'  65'
MF 31 Lucas Lima
MF 25 Vinicius Zanocelo  67'
FW 7 Pedro Henrique  70'
FW 9 Wendel Silva  79'
FW 98 Matheusinho  65'
Substitutes:
GK 23 Jorge
GK 41 Gustavo Martins
DF 2 Rafael Ramos  78'  65'
DF 3 Ronald Carvalho
DF 13 Luiz Otávio Leandro
DF 63 Gilmar  74'  70'
MF 26 Richardson
MF 40 Melk  65'
MF 81 João Gabriel
FW 11 Fernandinho  70'
FW 35 Giulio
FW 99 Lucca  79'
Coach:
Mozart

Assistant referees:
José Moracy de Sousa e Silva
Deborah Beatriz Ferreira da Silva
Fourth official:
Luciano da Silva Miranda Filho
Fifth official:
Wladyerisson Silva Oliveira
Video assistant referee:
Rodrigo Nunes de Sá (Rio de Janeiro)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Renan Aguiar da Costa
Rejane Caetano da Silva

Ceará
Fortaleza
GK 1 Richard (c)  66'
DF 21 Alex Silva  71'
DF 4 Luiz Otávio
DF 33 Éder
DF 17 Fernando  41'
MF 31 Lucas Lima
MF 25 Vinicius Zanocelo  62'
MF 40 Melk  58'
FW 8 Matheus Araújo  58'
FW 9 Wendel Silva  71'
FW 98 Matheusinho  63'
Substitutes:
GK 94 Bruno Ferreira
DF 2 Rafael Ramos  71'
DF 3 Ronald Carvalho
DF 13 Luiz Otávio Leandro
DF 63 Gilmar
MF 10 Juan Alano  58'
MF 26 Richardson
MF 29 Vina  65'  58'
MF 81 João Gabriel
FW 11 Fernandinho  63'
FW 99 Lucca  71'
 
Coach:
Mozart
GK 12 Brenno
DF 22 Maílton
DF 2 Emanuel Brítez (c)  24'
DF 3 Lucas Gazal
DF 4 Luan Freitas  46'
DF 18 Gabriel Fuentes
MF 29 Rodrigo  22'  46'
MF 5 Pierre  57'  59'
MF 88 Lucas Sasha
FW 7 Tomás Pochettino
FW 32 Luiz Fernando  65'  82'
Substitutes:
GK 25 Vinícius Silvestre
DF 33 Kauã Rocha
DF 36 Guilherme Moura
DF 43 João Lucas
MF 8 Ronald  59'
MF 10 Lucas Crispim  82'
MF 19 Lucas Emanoel
MF 37 Ryan
MF 38 Lucca Prior  46'
FW 11 Vitinho  46'
FW 21 GB
FW 75 Rodriguinho
Coach:
Thiago Carpini  70'

Assistant referees:
Nailton Júnior de Sousa Oliveira
Renan Aguiar da Costa
Fourth official:
Léo Simão Holanda
Fifth official:
Elizabete Esmeralda Cordeiro dos Santos Gomes
Video assistant referee:
Wagner Reway (Santa Catarina)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Eleutério Felipe Marques Júnior
Antônio Magno Lima Cordeiro

Overall table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Fortaleza 11 6 5 0 14 3 +11 23 Champions and 2027 Copa do Brasil
2 Ceará 11 7 4 0 25 5 +20 25 Runners-up and 2027 Copa do Brasil
3 Ferroviário 10 4 3 3 9 12 −3 15 2027 Copa do Brasil and 2027 Série D
4 Floresta 10 3 2 5 7 11 −4 11
5 Iguatu 8 2 5 1 9 7 +2 11 2027 Série D
6 Horizonte 8 1 3 4 6 13 −7 6
7 Maranguape 7 3 1 3 8 10 −2 10
8 Maracanã 7 1 1 5 6 9 −3 4
9 Quixadá 7 2 1 4 6 12 −6 7 Relegation to the 2027 Campeonato Cearense Série B
10 Tirol 7 1 1 5 4 12 −8 4
Source: FCF

References

  1. ^ "Pelo terceiro ano consecutivo, a Superbet é a patrocinadora master do Campeonato Cearense" (in Portuguese). FCF. 4 January 2026.
  2. ^ "CAMPEONATO CEARENSE SÉRIE A TABELA DETALHADA / EDIÇÃO 2026" (PDF) (in Portuguese). FCF. 7 November 2025.
  3. ^ "Guia do Cearense 2026: saiba tudo sobre campeonato e times" (in Portuguese). Globo. 6 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Cearense 2026 – Regulamento Específico da Competição" (PDF) (in Portuguese). FCF. 14 November 2025.
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