The Carioca Série C was suspended by the Rio de Janeiro State Football Federation (FERJ) following suspicions of result manipulation.
Initially halted for an indefinite period, the competition will resume after June 28, when investigations into three matches from the sixth round are expected to conclude.
Clubs removed
In addition to the tournament’s suspension, three clubs were removed from the Carioca Série C: Ceres FC, Mageense FC, and Itaboraí Profute FC.
The decision was made by the president of the Rio de Janeiro Sports Justice Tribunal (TJD-RJ), Dilson Neves Chagas, due to suspicions of result manipulation in three matches involving the Rio clubs.
The matches in question are Ceres FC x Tigres do Brasil, CAAC Brasil x Itaboraí Profute, and Barra Mansa FC x Mageense FC, all from the sixth round of the Carioca Série C.
As indicated in the case file, reports prepared by Sportradar and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) suggest unusual movements in the sports betting market.
Both companies specialize in monitoring betting activity and the fairness of sports tournaments around the world. IBIA, in turn, has a partnership with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
Investigation may extend to the competition as a whole
With suspicions of result manipulation identified in three matches of the 2026 Carioca Série C, there are also concerns about the championship itself and the possibility that irregularities could affect the tournament as a whole.
This explains why FERJ decided to suspend the championship, stating in a note that match reports and integrity reports, along with match footage, were forwarded to the authorities.
“All documents related to the matches mentioned in the reports will be forwarded to the Judiciary, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Police Authority, and the Sports Judiciary for the appropriate investigations and sanctions,” FERJ stated.