Grupo Candeias was founded at the SESC Club in the university sector in 1977 in Goiânia, Goias, Brazil.
In the year 1978 Mestre Passarinho took on the group changing the name to Grupo de Capoeira São Bento Pequeno.
Two years later, he decided to leave the SESC in Goiânia bringing Grupo São Bento Pequeno and part of the student body with him, in the same year Mestre Suíno took on the group that was left, using the name Grupo de Capoeira Anglo Regional temporarily until he could create a new name for the group.
Grupo Candeias is considered one of the most expressive groups of capoeira with over ten thousand students.
Nowadays you can find Grupo Candeias in most of Brazil, USA, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, France, Spain, United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Italy, Bolivia, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium and Ireland.