Flu will play the opening game on January 19th against Cardoso Moreira, at Maracanã

BalloonSport

From news agencies

Fluminense will open the Carioca Championship against Cardoso Moreira at Maracanã Stadium. The Rio de Janeiro Football Federation released the schedule for the 2008 Carioca Championship on Wednesday, which begins on January 19th and runs until May 5th. The rules are similar to those of 2007, but with three changes. The first - and most important - is the increase in the number of participants: from 12 to 16.

The teams will be divided into two groups of eight each. In the Guanabara Cup—the first round—the teams face each other, and the top two from each group will compete in the Olympic playoffs. In the Rio Cup, the second round, the teams will face the teams from the other group.

Here comes the second change: the finals will be decided in a single match, rather than two matches as in this season's State Championship. The third change is the number of relegated teams: from one to two, one from each group.

As previously agreed, smaller clubs will not be able to host matches against larger teams in their stadiums. Therefore, Botafogo will only play at Engenhão, Vasco only at São Januário, and Flamengo and Fluminense only at Maracanã. To compensate for the loss, the smaller teams will receive R$45 per game in addition to the revenue from these matches.

Ticket prices have also been set. For games at Maracanã, tickets for the white stands cost R$40, those for the green and yellow stands cost R$30, and those for the lower seats cost R$20. At other stadiums, the price will be R$40 for seats and R$20 for stands.

The schedule, for example, schedules the derby between Vasco and Botafogo for Carnival Saturday and the match between Flamengo and América for Sunday, a day when there are normally no matches. Both games will be at the Maracanã stadium.

Only one spot remains in next season's Campeonato Carioca, which will come from a playoff in the Second Division. Floresta, Independente, Olaria, and Duque de Caxias are vying for promotion. Cardoso Moreira, Macaé, Mesquita, and Resende have already been promoted.

Check out the first round:

GROUP A

19/01 - 18:10 p.m. - Fluminense x Cardoso Moreira - Maracanã

20/01 - 16pm - Flamengo x Boavista - Maracanã

20/01 - 16pm - América x (Repechage Winner) - Édson Passos

20/01 - 16pm - Volta Redonda x Macaé - Citizenship Stadium

B GROUP

January 20th - 01pm - Vasco x Madureira - Saint January

20/01 - 16pm - Friburguense x Americano - Eduardo Guinle

20/01 - 16pm - Cabofriense x Mesquita - Alair Correa

20/01 - 18:10 p.m. - Botafogo x Resende - Engenhão