Chapecoense’s 2026 campaign in Brazil’s top division ended in mathematical relegation after a 2-1 home loss to Mirassol. The result at Arena Condá, with four rounds left, confirmed the club’s return to Série B following a season that began with promise but delivered only a handful of league wins.
The start offered reasons for optimism. Chapecoense beat Santos 4-2 in the opening round on January 28 and followed that result with two consecutive draws against Vasco and Coritiba. The team also reached the Santa Catarina state championship final, but lost 3-1 to Barra in the first leg. A 1-0 win in the return match was not enough to overturn the deficit, leaving Chapecoense with its first runner-up finish of the year.
Results in the league then deteriorated. A 4-0 defeat at home to Atlético Mineiro in April ended Gilmar Dal Pozzo’s fourth spell as coach. Interim coach Celso Rodrigues took charge before Fábio Mathias arrived. The team continued to struggle in Série A, although it advanced past Botafogo in the Copa do Brasil and reached the Sul-Sudeste final. Mathias collected one point from 21 available in the league and was dismissed after a run of 10 matches across competitions that included two wins, one draw and seven losses.
Chapecoense reached another final under interim staff, this time against state rival Avaí. After losing the first match 3-0, the team won by the same score at home to level the tie, but lost the penalty shootout 5-4. Rafael Lacerda took over as coach during this period, giving the club three permanent coaches and an interim spell in less than a year.
During the break for the World Cup, Chapecoense made 29 changes to its squad: 11 signings, 15 departures and three loan moves. The team returned to league action with a 4-0 loss to Flamengo. It later exited the Copa do Brasil against Cruzeiro, drawing 0-0 at home before losing 2-0 away.
A turnaround seemed possible in August, when Chapecoense beat São Paulo 1-0 at home to end a long wait for a league victory. At the 26th round, Marcinho scored twice in a 2-1 comeback win over Corinthians, securing the team’s first away victory. But a 2-1 defeat to Internacional followed, and heavy losses to Vitória and Athletico Paranaense further undermined the club’s hopes of escaping the relegation zone. A 2-1 win over Fluminense offered another brief lift, but the loss to Mirassol made relegation official.
The article attributes the campaign’s difficulties in part to the club’s limited spending. Chapecoense entered the season with Série A’s lowest wage bill, restricting its ability to compete with wealthier teams. The extensive squad changes during the year and the succession of coaching appointments added to the instability.
Planning for 2027 has already begun. With a smaller budget expected in Série B, the club’s first task is to assess which players can remain. Chapecoense will also seek to finish the current league campaign as strongly as possible. One significant moment of the year came in September, when the team returned to Colombia to play Atlético Nacional in the Friendship Match, honoring the victims of the 2016 air disaster.
Sources: Globo Esporte.