Overview
- The tournament runs from January 2 to 25 with 128 clubs in 32 groups, two advancing per group, and the final set for Pacaembu on January 25.
- Bahia was placed in Group 9 in São José do Rio Preto with América-SP, Inter de Limeira and CSA-AL.
- Vitória entered by FPF invitation after not qualifying locally and will play Group 28 in Guarulhos with Flamengo-SP, Capivariano and Rio Branco-ES.
- Ceará teams learned their groups: Ceará in Group 6 (Presidente Prudente), Fortaleza in Group 23 (Mogi das Cruzes), Quixadá in Group 15 (Araraquara) and Ferroviário in Group 30 (São Paulo-Ibrachina).
- Coverage is reported to include all 255 matches across Record, Record News, Xsports and YouTube channels Cazé TV and Paulistão, and clubs must submit 40-player prelim lists by December 1 and finalize 30 by January 1.