Audax São Mateus

Giuliano Pariz was a runner-up in the 1993 Brazilian championship with Vitória. At 52, he took charge of a side from São Mateus that had never played a professional match.

That set-up began in August 2023 under the name Audax Norte, working only with base categories in the north of Espírito Santo. Professionalisation came in February 2026, along with the new name and two competitions to enter at once: the Copa Espírito Santo and Série B of the Campeonato Capixaba. The president and chief executive, Leonardo Araújo, arrived having previously run Associação Atlética São Mateus — a separate club, founded in 1963, twice state champion, and no part of what Audax is building.

The Estádio Municipal Sernamby, also known as the Estádio Manoel Moreira Sobrinho, holds 2,700. Home shirts are white throughout, the away kit blue.

The fixture the town already knows how to look forward to is against Linhares FC. They call it the Clássico do Norte, and it is a match between two municipalities at the top end of the state rather than between two histories — Audax has no titles at professional level and, in 2026, no results at that level either.

What the club has instead is a first season to get through: a place in Série B of the state championship, a cup campaign alongside it.