Paranaense U20 (Brazil) 2026/27

The Campeonato Paranaense Sub-20 is the under-20 youth football championship for the state of Paraná, Brazil. It is organized by the Federação Paranaense de Futebol (FPF) and operates as a developmental league for the youth academies of clubs participating in the senior competition. This structure does not form part of the professional pyramid, which consists of Série A through D, though it serves as a crucial pathway for emerging talent.

The competition format currently involves 12 clubs in the main division. The season begins with a single round-robin tournament where each team plays every other club once. The top eight teams advance to the knockout stage, known locally as the mata-mata, while the bottom two are relegated to the state's Segunda Divisão Sub-20. The knockout phase, which includes quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final, is played in a two-legged home and away format. The winner of the championship qualifies for the Copa do Brasil Sub-20 the following year.

Athletico Paranaense is the most successful club in the history of the tournament, having won seven official titles. These victories occurred in 1997, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2016, and 2025. Coritiba holds two titles from 2022 and 2023, while Londrina won once in 2014. Operário Ferroviário claimed its first title in 2024. The competition faced a hiatus during the 2020 and 2021 pandemic years but returned with a formal restructuring in 2022. The FPF recognizes titles dating back to the late 1990s, suggesting that earlier iterations or different age categories served as precursors to the current format.

The tournament is distinct from the senior Campeonato Paranaense primarily by the age restriction and its focus on player development rather than professional qualification for continental tournaments.