Goiás, Campinas, Cruzeiro and Praia claim Brazilian Cup semifinal spots

An eight-time champion, a veteran and two rookies will compete for the title of the 2026 Men's Brazilian Cup in Londrina from March 7-8, when the tournament's Final Four will take place.

The definition of the qualified teams happened between Monday and Wednesday, when the quarterfinal round was held, confirming the progress of Saneago Goiás Vôlei, Vôlei Renata Campinas, Sada Cruzeiro and Praia Clube in the tournament. Goiás and Campinas will meet in one of the semifinals, while Minas Gerais rivals Cruzeiro and Praia face off on the other.

• Watch the Brazilian Cup live on VBTV

The only one among the four semifinalists to earn their spot on the road, Goiás survived a five-set (25-23, 24-26, 25-19, 17-25, 15-13) battle to eliminate defending champions Itambé Minas in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday. With that, they will compete in the Brazilian Cup Final Four in their first appearance in the tournament.

Opposite André Saliba was massive for Goiás, leaving the court with 28 points (26 kills, one block, one ace) to his name and the MVP award. Middle blocker Victor Hugo Pereira scored another 13 (nine kills, two blocks, two aces).

Campinas booked their place in the semifinals on Tuesday, when they came from behind to overcome in-state rivals SESI Bauru 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 28-26, 27-25) in front of their home fans, returning for the semifinals for a ninth time - they are still chasing their first title.

Olympic champion setter and team captain Bruno Rezende was the match's MVP after registering 42 assists and scoring six points (four aces, two kills). Opposite Newton 'Acerola' Fernandes (16 points), outside hitter Adriano Xavier (14) and middle blocker Matheus 'Pinta' Bispo (13) were the team's leading scorers.

"I thought that we were a little nervous at the start," Bruno remarked. "As the match went on, we handled it better. It's a win-or-go-home match, so the emotions are high, and that makes it even more special to beat a tough opponent like SESI. The fans were amazing, and the players deserve a lot of credit for the victory."

Cruzeiro sweep Guarulhos

Looking for their ninth Brazilian Cup title, Sada Cruzeiro had the most dominant performance in the quarterfinals among the four qualified teams, taking Vôlei Guarulhos Bateubet down in straight sets (25-19, 29-27, 25-19) in Contagem on Wednesday to advance to the semifinals for the 13th time and return after missing it out in 2025 for the first time in club history.​

Olympic champion outside hitter Douglas Souza took home the MVP award after producing nine points, all in kills. Opposite Welinton Oppenkoski was the top scorer with 12 (ten kills, two aces).

"This victory means a lot for our season," Douglas said. "For a team like Cruzeiro, always being in the top four of the Brazilian Cup is very important. I think that today we did a good job. We studied their game very well and were focused on doing what we had to do."

Their opponents and in-state rivals Praia were the first to secure a spot in the semifinals, beating Suzano Vôlei 3-1 (25-20, 25-22, 20-25, 25-20) in Uberlândia on Monday and making it to the Final Four for the first time in club history.

Opposite Franco Paese led Praia to victory with a team-high 25 points (23 kills, one block, one ace) and earned the match's MVP award. Middle blockers Pietro Santos and Isac Santos offered solid contributions, adding 14 and 13 points, respectively.

"I'm happy that we managed to win tonight," Franco reacted. "We set some goals at the start of the season, and making it to the Brazilian Cup semifinals was one of them. Our game was very efficient today, and we were able to do what we planned for most of the time. Our level dropped a bit in the third set, but the players who came off the bench helped a lot, and our fans kept pushing."

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