Cuiabá hosts Náutico in Serie B playoff push, 21 September

Cuiabá and Náutico meet on Monday 21 September at 21h30 (Brasília time) at Arena Pantanal in Mato Grosso for round 29 of Brazil's Serie B championship. The match concludes the round and will be streamed live on Disney+, SportyNet, and X Sports. Both teams are fighting to reach the G6 (top six positions) and distance themselves from relegation. Cuiabá sits 11th with 40 points after drawing 1–1 with Novorizontino away; Náutico is 14th with 38 points following a 3–3 home draw with Operário-PR in which they conceded two goals in stoppage time. A 45-point threshold is considered a benchmark for safely avoiding relegation danger.

Cuiabá enters unbeaten in two games, with the second-best defence in Serie B (22 goals conceded) but the third-worst attack (27 goals scored). A win would move them toward 10th place. Cuiabá coach Eduardo Barros has midfielder Pepê unavailable due to a rib fracture; Calebe, Pedro Henrique, and Marcos Júnior are in doubt. Náutico coach Hélio dos Anjos is suspended after ejection in the last match; his son Guilherme dos Anjos will lead from the bench. The visitors cannot field Samuel (suspended for a third yellow card) or defender Léo Índio (femur injury). Náutico has not won away from home for over four months—their second-worst streak as visitors in the tournament.

In the first meeting this season at home (Aflitos stadium in Recife), Náutico won 1–0 with a goal by Junior Todinho. Cuiabá have not lost in four home matches, earning eight points with two wins and two draws. The arbitration team includes referee Raimundo Rodrigues de Oliveira Junior (CE), assistants Luis Filipe Gonçalves Correa (PB) and Anderson da Silva Rodrigues (CE), and VAR Carlos Eduardo Nunes Braga (RJ).