ASA wrapped up their 2026 Brasileirão Série D campaign as runner-up on Sunday, securing a long-awaited promotion to Série C after a grueling nine-year fight. It’s a huge moment for the Alagoas-based club, even though they fell short of the championship, drawing 1-1 with Uberlândia at Parque do Sabiá after an initial 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the final.
This Is What Nine Years of Grinding Gets You
President Rogério Siqueira isn’t letting the runner-up finish dampen the mood. For ASA, second place is a massive win, especially after battling in Série D since 2017. “We spent nine years in Série D to earn promotion,” Siqueira said, emphasizing how tough that division truly is. “Without a doubt, of all the divisions, D is the hardest. We leave very happy and satisfied; we managed to get our club back on track. We are going to celebrate the podium finish and the runner-up title, yes , we have to celebrate.” That’s the kind of determination you love to see, right? They fought tooth and nail, played a leading role in what was the biggest edition of the tournament ever, and now they’re back where they belong in Série C.
New Format, New Future: How the CBF Stepped Up
Siqueira, who also represents Série D on the 2025 National Club Commission, made sure to give props to the CBF for shaking things up. This year’s Série D saw some big changes: more clubs (up to 96 from 64), way more matches (610 total from 510), and a massive boost in participation payouts (R$ 65.5 million distributed among teams, up from R$ 40 million). Plus, they added promotion playoffs, which is huge for competition. Siqueira praised the whole setup, saying he’s “very proud” and thankful for the “structure it put together and the reorganization, which gave dignity to the competition.” Being part of the first final under this new format, one that “gives clubs sustainability,” just makes this moment even sweeter for ASA.
Even Felipe Feijó, president of the Alagoas Football Federation, was buzzing about ASA’s season. He noted that while they obviously wanted the championship, ASA put together a “great job throughout the competition. It earned promotion, reached the final, and finished as runner-up.” As Feijó put it, “The main objective was to go up, and now we have an affiliated club to play in Série C next year.” ASA’s incredible run means they’re officially heading to Série C in 2027, and you know they’re going to carry this momentum straight into that new challenge.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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