Copa Fares Lopes (Brazil) 2025/26

The Copa Fares Lopes is a state-level football cup competition in the Brazilian state of Ceará. Organised by the Federação Cearense de Futebol (FCF), it serves as a secondary championship to the main Campeonato Cearense league. The tournament was established in 2010 by Mauro Carmélio, then president of the FCF, in honour of his uncle, Fares Cândido Lopes. The former federation president had served from 1993 until his death in 2004.

The primary objective of the cup is to award a qualification place for the national Copa do Brasil. While the state league determines the top two qualifiers, the winner of the Copa Fares Lopes secures a third berth. Should the cup winner have already earned a spot through the league or other avenues, the place is passed to the runner-up. The competition provides competitive fixtures for clubs during the second half of the season when the main league is not active.

The format has evolved since its inception. Early editions featured simple finals, while recent tournaments have adopted a group stage followed by knockout rounds. The 2025 edition saw ten clubs divided into two groups, culminating in a single-match final. The 2025 champion, Maracanã, defeated Tirol in that decisive game. Other notable winners include Ferroviário, Horizonte, Guarani de Juazeiro, and Icasa.

Ferroviário holds the record for the most titles with three victories in 2018, 2020, and 2024. Participation typically mixes top-tier clubs with lower-division or interior sides. Historically, the winner also qualified for the Taça dos Campeões Cearenses, a supercup between the state league champion and the Fares Lopes champion. This supercup ran from 2013 to 2018 before being discontinued.