How to get tickets for the 2026 Campeonato Carioca

The 2026 Campeonato Carioca is the perfect excuse to experience Rio de Janeiro’s football from the inside: clásicos at the Maracanã, historic fan bases, flags, chants and the city’s unique colour and energy. If you’re thinking about travelling to Brazil to enjoy the country’s most famous state championship, understanding how the tournament works and how to buy your tickets will help you plan your trip much better.

Below, we explain what makes the Carioca so special, how it is played, which are the most important teams, and why it’s a good idea to secure your tickets through a specialised platform such as Football Tickets Brazil.

What is the Campeonato Carioca and why is it so important in Rio?

The Campeonato Carioca is the state tournament of Rio de Janeiro, a competition that takes place before the start of the national league (Brasileirão). It is not “just another tournament”: in Rio, the Carioca has huge historical and emotional weight.
For many fans, their first stadium memories are from Carioca matches:

• It is the stage for the most traditional clásicos in the city.
• It marks the beginning of the football year and shows how each team is starting the season.
• It has its own identity: a mix of football, party in the stands and neighbourhood rivalries lived street by street.

While the Brasileirão decides the national champion, the Carioca decides who rules Rio. Winning the state title means having arguments all year long at the bar, at work and at family gatherings.

Buy tickets for the 2026 Campeonato Carioca

If you are planning to travel to Rio to watch 2026 Carioca games, the first thing to keep in mind is that:

• The clásicos (Fla-Flu, Vasco vs Flamengo, Botafogo vs Fluminense, etc.) attract the highest demand.
• Decisive matches (semi-finals, finals or games that decide qualification) often sell out in advance.
• When these games are played at the Maracanã, the stadium fills with both tourists and locals who want to live the experience at least once.

That’s why it is essential to buy tickets early and do it through a reliable channel such as Football Tickets Brazil:

• You can get tickets for the most in-demand Carioca matches.
• You receive help choosing the stadium sections that best match the experience you want (closer to the singing end, more family-oriented areas, etc.).
• You get support in your own language throughout the whole purchase process, without having to navigate Portuguese-only websites without fully understanding what you are selecting.

Main teams in the 2026 Campeonato Carioca

The heart of the Carioca beats to the rhythm of Rio’s four giant clubs. Each one brings its own history, fan base and style to the championship.

Flamengo

Flamengo is the club with the largest fan base in Brazil and the top all-time winner of the Campeonato Carioca. Their home matches, especially at the Maracanã, usually feature:

• Stands packed with red-and-black shirts.
• Chants that don’t stop for the entire 90 minutes.
• A special sense of anticipation every time they face one of their traditional rivals.

Buying Flamengo tickets and watching them live is one of the most intense football experiences you can have in Rio.

Fluminense

Fluminense is another of the state’s giants, the second most successful club in Carioca history and one half of the Fla-Flu, one of the most iconic clásicos in world football. The Tricolor from Rio combines:

• A loyal fan base with a strong sense of identity.
• A long tradition of good passing football and attacking style.
• Memorable nights at the Maracanã, both in the Carioca and in national and international competitions.

For many neutral fans, a Fla-Flu in the Campeonato Carioca is the ideal match to truly understand what Rio’s football culture is all about. Buying Fluminense tickets guarantees a sporting spectacle like few others in South America.

Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama is the third most successful club in the Campeonato Carioca and plays its home games at São Januário, a stadium with a very strong identity, stands close to the pitch and a unique atmosphere.

Getting Vasco da Gama tickets and watching a Carioca game at São Januário means experiencing Brazilian football in a more “neighbourhood” environment, very different from the Maracanã, but just as authentic.

Botafogo

Botafogo is synonymous with history and legendary players who marked different eras of Brazilian football. It is the fourth club with the most Carioca titles and the recent Copa Libertadores champion in 2024.

Buying Botafogo tickets and including a Botafogo home game in your Carioca itinerary is a great way to visit another important stadium in Rio and understand the diversity of fan cultures within the city.

Experience Rio de Janeiro football with Football Tickets Brazil

The 2026 Campeonato Carioca is much more than a state tournament: it is the gateway to Rio’s football world. It brings together history, clásicos, passionate fan bases and the chance to visit different stadiums within the same city.

If you want to experience Rio de Janeiro football in the most authentic way, the 2026 Campeonato Carioca is the perfect opportunity. And having your tickets confirmed with Football Tickets Brazil is the first step to making sure the experience is not only exciting, but also safe and well organised.