From 1997 to 1999, the Campeonato do Nordeste champions granted qualification to Copa Conmebol.

[3] From 2000 to 2002, the Campeonato do Nordeste champions granted qualification to the Copa dos Campeões.

Since 2018 a qualifying tournament called Pré-Copa do Nordeste has been played.

12 teams gain direct entries into the group stage while the other four berths are decided by the Pré-Copa do Nordeste.

Only the finals are played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, with the best tournament team hosting the second leg, while quarter-finals and semi-finals are played on a single-leg basis, with the higher-seeded team hosting the leg.