Brazilian football league system
Encyclopedia
The Brazilian football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for football
clubs in Brazil
. It consists of several independent pyramids, which are the national pyramid, and the state pyramids. As those pyramids are independent, clubs usually compete in both pyramids in the same year (a state and a national one). Both the national pyramid and the state pyramids consist of several different levels. The best placed teams in the state championships as well as the best ranked clubs in CBF's ranking compete in the Copa do Brasil
.
While the national competitions are organized by CBF
, the state championships are organized by the respective football federations of each state (for example, the Campeonato Pernambucano
is organized by the Pernambuco Football Federation
).
The national pyramid competitions starts in May and ends in December. The state pyramid has different duration and schedule in each state, but in states with clubs competing on the national first and second divisions, the main state championships run from January/February to April/May.
Most states have at least one secondary tournament involving smaller clubs not in the top two leagues of the national championship, this lesser championship runs from July to December. Besides the trophy, it may award the winner(s) places in the main tournament or in the Brazilian Cup
next year.
Smaller states, whose clubs do not take part in national competitions have longer competitions, usually running during the "winter" months: April to October.
, Série B
, the Série C
and the Série D
. The Série A, Série B and Série C currently consist of 20 teams, while the Série D is contested by 40 teams. Before 2009 there was no Série D and the Série C had 64 teams. Each year, the four worst placed clubs in the Série A are relegated to the Série B and the four top placed clubs in the Série B are promoted to Série A. This relation of four promoted and four relegated is the same for the other levels.
The clubs competing in the Série D are the best placed state championship clubs of the same season which are not competing in the Série A, B or C. Clubs that are successful in their state leagues can rise higher in the pyramid, being promoted to the Série D, and eventually to higher levels. Some state federations organize special competitions with the purpose of qualifying teams to the Série D.
As a result of the rules detailed above, it is possible (and not unheard of) for a minor state championship club to rise to the Série A, and become successful in the competition. To achieve this, a club must qualify in the state championship and, later, qualify in Séries D, C and B.
Examples of clubs that went all the way up from the least state league until Série A are: Paraná Clube
(founded 1989, played Série A in 1993), São Caetano
(founded 1989, played Série A in 2000), Brasiliense
(founded 2000, played Série A in 2005) and Ipatinga
(founded 1998, to play Série A in 2008). None of them are in 2010 Série A
, but Paraná and São Caetano had a relative success in Série A for a while. Brasiliense and Ipatinga, however, never played a second year in this competition, being quickly relegated to Série B.
The reverse is also possible: a club from Série A can be eventually relegated to the very least state league. A recent example is the very traditional América-MG
(founded 1912, relegated from Série A in 2001, to Série C in 2005 and to state second division in 2007). América played in the Série C in 2008 and 2009, avoiding the Série D. The club is back to National competitions and to state first division, but it will be very difficult to promote to Série A again. However, at least four clubs (Fluminense
, Náutico
, Atlético Paranaense
, Vitória
) have been relegated to Série C and successfully reappeared in Série A. Other clubs formerly in Série A, that were relegated to Série C' have not so far recovered their strength; for example Santa Cruz
, América-RJ, Remo
, Fortaleza
and Paysandu
.
, the participating clubs, which also include Série A and Série B clubs, are limited to their own states (however, there are some minor exceptions, like in the Campeonato Brasiliense
, where Unaí
from Minas Gerais
, and Luziânia
and Bosque Formosa Esporte Clube
from Goiás
also compete, due to their proximity to Brasília
city). The leagues are usually divided in two, three or four levels. The number of clubs per level, as well as the number of levels, are different in each state. For example, in São Paulo
there are 20 clubs in the first level, but in Rio de Janeiro
there are 16, and in Rondônia
there are just eight clubs. Also, the number of promoted and relegated clubs are different from one state to the other.
State championships may include obscure formats or experiment with proposed innovations in rules. Some rules adopted may be quite unfair. In Rio de Janeiro State Championship
in 2008, the big four (Botafogo
, Flamengo
, Fluminense
and Vasco da Gama
) always played home against the other participating clubs.
, the Copa Paulista de Futebol and the Copa Rio.
is contested between the winners and best placed clubs of the previous season state championships, and by the best placed clubs in the CBF
ranking. It is played between the months of February and June (or July, in the years when the FIFA World Cup
is being contested). The number of clubs per state range from one to three, excluding the clubs qualified by the CBF ranking. Since 2001, clubs already qualified for the Libertadores Cup do not take part in Copa do Brasil, thus preventing a club from winning sequentially.
1The state championships are not officially hierarchically behind the Série D, but they are used by CBF as a way to promote clubs to the competition.
table below is an example of a state league pyramid. It is divided in four levels. The first three levels are disputed by 20 teams each, while the fourth level is disputed by 44 clubs. The competitions are organized by the São Paulo Football Federation
.
The 2008 Campeonato Catarinense
table below is another example of a state league pyramid. It is divided in three levels. The first two levels are disputed by 12 teams (with the second being disputed by 3 from the first level plus nine from the second), while the third level is disputed by only 5 clubs. The competitions are organized by the Santa Catarina Football Federation
.
There are amateur competitions too, organized by the federation of each city, like Palhoça
and São José
. However, they are closed, and can't make it to the state main division without the approval of the board.
The 2011 Campeonato Mineiro
table below is another example of a state league pyramid. It is divided in three levels. The first and second levels are played by 12 teams each. The third level has a variable number of participating clubs each year. The number of participants in 2011 will be known in April. The competitions are organized by the Minas Gerais Football Federation
.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
clubs in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It consists of several independent pyramids, which are the national pyramid, and the state pyramids. As those pyramids are independent, clubs usually compete in both pyramids in the same year (a state and a national one). Both the national pyramid and the state pyramids consist of several different levels. The best placed teams in the state championships as well as the best ranked clubs in CBF's ranking compete in the Copa do Brasil
Copa do Brasil
The Copa Kia do Brasil, commonly known as Copa do Brasil , is a knockout competition played by 64 association football teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District...
.
Structure
There are two simultaneous and independent pyramids in the Brazilian football, the national pyramid, and the state pyramid.While the national competitions are organized by CBF
Brazilian Football Confederation
The Brazilian Football Confederation is the governing body of football in Brazil. It was founded on June 8, 1914, as Confederação Brasileira de Desportos , meaning Brazilian Sports Confederation. Its first president was Álvaro Zamith. It organizes the Brazilian national competitions, like...
, the state championships are organized by the respective football federations of each state (for example, the Campeonato Pernambucano
Campeonato Pernambucano
The Campeonato Pernambucano de Futebol is the football championship of Pernambuco state, Brazil, and is organized by the Pernambuco Football Federation....
is organized by the Pernambuco Football Federation
Federação Pernambucana de Futebol
Federação Pernambucana de Futebol , once named Liga Esportiva Pernambucana , organizes and administrates the Campeonato Pernambucano , the Copa Pernambuco and the Pernambucan Football Championship lower levels)....
).
The national pyramid competitions starts in May and ends in December. The state pyramid has different duration and schedule in each state, but in states with clubs competing on the national first and second divisions, the main state championships run from January/February to April/May.
Most states have at least one secondary tournament involving smaller clubs not in the top two leagues of the national championship, this lesser championship runs from July to December. Besides the trophy, it may award the winner(s) places in the main tournament or in the Brazilian Cup
Copa do Brasil
The Copa Kia do Brasil, commonly known as Copa do Brasil , is a knockout competition played by 64 association football teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District...
next year.
Smaller states, whose clubs do not take part in national competitions have longer competitions, usually running during the "winter" months: April to October.
National championships
In the national pyramid, there are four leagues, the Série ACampeonato Brasileiro Série A
The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B...
, Série B
Campeonato Brasileiro Série B
The Série B is the second division of Brazilian football. It is played by 20 teams. However, the competition format has changed almost every year since it first occurred, in 1971. In some years, it was not played altogether...
, the Série C
Campeonato Brasileiro Série C
The Campeonato Brasileiro Série C is the third division of Brazilian football.Unlike the first and second divisions, the Série C is not played in a double round robin system, arguably because many participating teams lack the financial conditions to travel long distances...
and the Série D
Campeonato Brasileiro Série D
The Campeonato Brasileiro Série D is the fourth tier of the Brazilian football, and it was announced by Brazilian Football Confederation on April 9, 2008. Campeonato Brasileiro Série D was formed from the split of Série C, keeping its best 20 clubs and playing double round robin, like the top...
. The Série A, Série B and Série C currently consist of 20 teams, while the Série D is contested by 40 teams. Before 2009 there was no Série D and the Série C had 64 teams. Each year, the four worst placed clubs in the Série A are relegated to the Série B and the four top placed clubs in the Série B are promoted to Série A. This relation of four promoted and four relegated is the same for the other levels.
The clubs competing in the Série D are the best placed state championship clubs of the same season which are not competing in the Série A, B or C. Clubs that are successful in their state leagues can rise higher in the pyramid, being promoted to the Série D, and eventually to higher levels. Some state federations organize special competitions with the purpose of qualifying teams to the Série D.
As a result of the rules detailed above, it is possible (and not unheard of) for a minor state championship club to rise to the Série A, and become successful in the competition. To achieve this, a club must qualify in the state championship and, later, qualify in Séries D, C and B.
Examples of clubs that went all the way up from the least state league until Série A are: Paraná Clube
Paraná Clube
Paraná Clube is a Brazilian football team. It was established on December 19, 1989, in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Its uniform is composed of a blue/red shirt, white shorts and white socks....
(founded 1989, played Série A in 1993), São Caetano
Associação Desportiva São Caetano
Associação Desportiva São Caetano, commonly known as São Caetano, is a Brazilian football team based in the city of São Caetano, Brazil, part of the São Paulo greater metropolitan area. The team is dubbed Azulão , after the shirt colour. The sponsor is Consul, a well known Brazilian producer of...
(founded 1989, played Série A in 2000), Brasiliense
Brasiliense Futebol Clube
The Brasiliense Futebol Clube is a Brazilian football club, based in Taguatinga, Distrito Federal.Brasiliense wears yellow uniforms, hence one of its supporters' associations is named Febre Amarela...
(founded 2000, played Série A in 2005) and Ipatinga
Ipatinga Futebol Clube
Ipatinga Futebol Clube, commonly known as Ipatinga, is a Brazilian football club, based in Ipatinga, Minas Gerais. They were founded on May 21, 1998.-History:...
(founded 1998, to play Série A in 2008). None of them are in 2010 Série A
2010 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
The 2010 Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A was the 40th season of the Série A, the top-level of professional football in Brazil. It began on May 8 and ended on December 5. Flamengo came as the defending champion having won the 2009 season.-Format:...
, but Paraná and São Caetano had a relative success in Série A for a while. Brasiliense and Ipatinga, however, never played a second year in this competition, being quickly relegated to Série B.
The reverse is also possible: a club from Série A can be eventually relegated to the very least state league. A recent example is the very traditional América-MG
América Futebol Clube (MG)
América Futebol Clube is a traditional Brazilian football team from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, founded on April 30, 1912....
(founded 1912, relegated from Série A in 2001, to Série C in 2005 and to state second division in 2007). América played in the Série C in 2008 and 2009, avoiding the Série D. The club is back to National competitions and to state first division, but it will be very difficult to promote to Série A again. However, at least four clubs (Fluminense
Fluminense Football Club
Fluminense Football Club is a sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Founded in the beginning of the 20th century as a single-sport institution, Fluminense is today an umbrella organization for several teams in more than 16 different sport activities. The most popular endeavor of Fluminense,...
, Náutico
Clube Náutico Capibaribe
Clube Náutico Capibaribe, also known as Náutico, is a Brazilian sports club, including a professional football team, in Recife, Pernambuco....
, Atlético Paranaense
Clube Atlético Paranaense
Clube Atlético Paranaense is a Brazilian football team from Curitiba in Paraná, founded on March 26, 1924. The club won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 2001.-History:...
, Vitória
Esporte Clube Vitória
Esporte Clube Vitória, usually known simply as Vitória, is a Brazilian football team from Salvador in Bahia, founded on May 13, 1899.Vitória's home games are played at the club's own stadium . They play in red and black horizontal striped shirts, black shorts and black socks...
) have been relegated to Série C and successfully reappeared in Série A. Other clubs formerly in Série A, that were relegated to Série C' have not so far recovered their strength; for example Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Futebol Clube
Santa Cruz Futebol Clube, or simply Santa Cruz is a Brazilian football club in Recife, Pernambuco.-Early history:On February 3, 1914, eleven young men aging from 14 to 16 years founded a football society...
, América-RJ, Remo
Clube do Remo
Clube do Remo, or Remo, or Leão as they are usually called, is a Brazilian football team from Belém in Pará, founded on February 5, 1905. Remo greatest rivals are Paysandu and Tuna Luso.-History:...
, Fortaleza
Fortaleza Esporte Clube
Fortaleza Esporte Clube, usually known as Fortaleza, is primarily a football club, but is active in other sports such as futsal, handball and basketball. Fortaleza Esporte Clube is based in Fortaleza, capital of the State of Ceará, Brazil...
and Paysandu
Paysandu Sport Club
Paysandu Sport Club is a Brazilian football club located in Belém, Pará. Paysandu is also known as Papão da Curuzu because it won several titles in the 1940s and Curuzu from the name of the street where Paysandu's stadium sits.Paysandu is a club in Northern Brazil, having won 43 State Leagues, 1...
.
State championships
In the state pyramid, which consists of several independent state championshipsBrazilian Football State Championship
The Brazilian football state championships are football competitions carried out in every state of Brazil. As the state championships are very old competitions , they are very traditional, and are almost as important as the national leagues.Historically, because of economical or geographical...
, the participating clubs, which also include Série A and Série B clubs, are limited to their own states (however, there are some minor exceptions, like in the Campeonato Brasiliense
Campeonato Brasiliense
The Campeonato Brasiliense, also known as Campeonato Metropolitano de Brasília or Campeonato Candango, is the football league of the Distrito Federal, Brazil....
, where Unaí
Sociedade Esportiva Unaí Itapuã
Sociedade Esportiva Unaí Itapuã, commonly known as Unaí, is a Brazilian football club based in Unaí, Minas Gerais state. Despite the fact that the club is from Minas Gerais, the club competes in the Campeonato Brasiliense due to its proximity to Brasília city.-History:The club was founded on June...
from Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, and Luziânia
Associação Atlética Luziânia
Associação Atlética Luziânia, commonly known as Luziânia, is a Brazilian football team from Luziânia, Goiás. Despite the fact that the club are from Goiás, the club compete in the Campeonato Brasiliense due to its proximity to Brasília city. They competed in the Série C once.-History:The club was...
and Bosque Formosa Esporte Clube
Bosque Formosa Esporte Clube
Bosque Formosa Esporte Clube, commonly known as Formosa, is a Brazilian football club based in Formosa, Goiás state. Despite the fact that the club is from Goiás, the club competes in the Campeonato Brasiliense due to its proximity to Brasília city...
from Goiás
Goiás
Goiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The name Goiás comes from the name of an indigenous community...
also compete, due to their proximity to Brasília
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
city). The leagues are usually divided in two, three or four levels. The number of clubs per level, as well as the number of levels, are different in each state. For example, in São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
there are 20 clubs in the first level, but in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
there are 16, and in Rondônia
Rondônia
Rondônia is a state in Brazil, located in the north-western part of the country. To the west is a short border with the state of Acre, to the north is the state of Amazonas, in the east is Mato Grosso, and in the south is Bolivia. Its capital is Porto Velho. The state was named after Candido Rondon...
there are just eight clubs. Also, the number of promoted and relegated clubs are different from one state to the other.
State championships may include obscure formats or experiment with proposed innovations in rules. Some rules adopted may be quite unfair. In Rio de Janeiro State Championship
Campeonato Carioca
The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments...
in 2008, the big four (Botafogo
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas , also known as Botafogo and familiarly as Estrela Solitária, is a Brazilian sports club based in Botafogo, neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, best known for its football team. They play in the Campeonato Carioca, Rio de Janeiro's state league, and the Campeonato...
, Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo , also known as Flamengo and familiarly as Mengão, is a Brazilian sports club based in the Flamengo bairro, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro, best known for its professional football team...
, Fluminense
Fluminense Football Club
Fluminense Football Club is a sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Founded in the beginning of the 20th century as a single-sport institution, Fluminense is today an umbrella organization for several teams in more than 16 different sport activities. The most popular endeavor of Fluminense,...
and Vasco da Gama
Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama
Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama |Rowing Club]]), usually known as Vasco da Gama or simply Vasco, is a famous and traditional Brazilian multisports club from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, founded on August 21, 1898...
) always played home against the other participating clubs.
State cups
The state cups are usually played during the second half of the year, after the state championships have concluded. The participating teams are clubs not competing in the national championships and reserve teams of clubs competing in the national championships. Examples of such competitions are the Copa FGFCopa FGF
The Copa FGF , is a cup competition organized by the Rio Grande do Sul state football federation for clubs that are in the first and second divisions of the Campeonato Gaúcho. It is held in the second half of the year and usually clubs participating in the higher levels of the Campeonato Brasileiro...
, the Copa Paulista de Futebol and the Copa Rio.
Copa do Brasil
The Copa do BrasilCopa do Brasil
The Copa Kia do Brasil, commonly known as Copa do Brasil , is a knockout competition played by 64 association football teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District...
is contested between the winners and best placed clubs of the previous season state championships, and by the best placed clubs in the CBF
Brazilian Football Confederation
The Brazilian Football Confederation is the governing body of football in Brazil. It was founded on June 8, 1914, as Confederação Brasileira de Desportos , meaning Brazilian Sports Confederation. Its first president was Álvaro Zamith. It organizes the Brazilian national competitions, like...
ranking. It is played between the months of February and June (or July, in the years when the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
is being contested). The number of clubs per state range from one to three, excluding the clubs qualified by the CBF ranking. Since 2001, clubs already qualified for the Libertadores Cup do not take part in Copa do Brasil, thus preventing a club from winning sequentially.
Current system
| Level | League/Division |
|---|---|
| 1 | Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Campeonato Brasileiro Série A The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B... 20 clubs Bottom four teams relegated |
| 2 | Campeonato Brasileiro Série B Campeonato Brasileiro Série B The Série B is the second division of Brazilian football. It is played by 20 teams. However, the competition format has changed almost every year since it first occurred, in 1971. In some years, it was not played altogether... 20 clubs Top four teams promoted Bottom four teams relegated |
| 3 | Campeonato Brasileiro Série C Campeonato Brasileiro Série C The Campeonato Brasileiro Série C is the third division of Brazilian football.Unlike the first and second divisions, the Série C is not played in a double round robin system, arguably because many participating teams lack the financial conditions to travel long distances... 20 clubs divided in 4 groups of 5 Semifinalists promoted Bottom team of each group relegated |
| 4 | Campeonato Brasileiro Série D Campeonato Brasileiro Série D The Campeonato Brasileiro Série D is the fourth tier of the Brazilian football, and it was announced by Brazilian Football Confederation on April 9, 2008. Campeonato Brasileiro Série D was formed from the split of Série C, keeping its best 20 clubs and playing double round robin, like the top... 40 clubs Semifinalists promoted No relegation1 |
(championships not held in 2011 in italics) |
|
| 1 | State Championships Top Divisions Brazilian Football State Championship The Brazilian football state championships are football competitions carried out in every state of Brazil. As the state championships are very old competitions , they are very traditional, and are almost as important as the national leagues.Historically, because of economical or geographical... Acre Campeonato Acreano The Campeonato Acriano is the football league of the state of Acre, Brazil.-Format:First Division 2006First stage - Taça Cidade de Rio Branco*Teams are divided into two groups of four teams.... - Alagoas Campeonato Alagoano The Campeonato Alagoano is the football league of the state of Alagoas, Brazil.-Format:First Division 2010The Campeonato Alagoano is divided into three stages.... - Amapá Campeonato Amapaense The Campeonato Amapaense is the football league of the state of Amapá, Brazil.-Format:First Stage*Standard round-robin, in which all teams play each other once.*Single leg playoff between the top 2 teams... - Amazonas Campeonato Amazonense The Campeonato Amazonense is the football league of the state of Amazonas, Brazil.-Format:The Campeonato Amazonense is divided into Taça Amazonas and Taça Cidade de Manaus.Taça Amazonas... - Bahia Campeonato Baiano The Campeonato Baiano is the football league of the state of Bahia, Brazil. The championship has been played since 1905 without interruption.-2008 format:First stage:... - Ceará Campeonato Cearense The Campeonato Cearense is the football league of the state of Ceará, Brazil.-Format:The Cearense Championship has three divisions with the following division and format :First DivisionThe ten clubs play two legs... - Distrito Federal Campeonato Brasiliense The Campeonato Brasiliense, also known as Campeonato Metropolitano de Brasília or Campeonato Candango, is the football league of the Distrito Federal, Brazil.... - Espírito Santo Campeonato Capixaba The Campeonato Capixaba is the football league of the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo.-History:From 1917 to 1929, it was disputed the Campeonato da Cidade de Vitória , a competition contested only by Vitória city clubs... - Goiás Campeonato Goiano The Campeonato Goiano is the football league of the state of Goiás, Brazil.-Format:First DivisionFirst stage*Teams are divided in two groups of six teams.... - Maranhão Campeonato Maranhense The Campeonato Maranhense is the football league of the state of Maranhão, Brazil.-Format:First Division 2006First Stage*Double round-robin, in which all teams play each other home-and-away games.*Home-and-away playoffs with the top 4 teams.... - Mato Grosso - Mato Grosso do Sul - Minas Gerais Campeonato Mineiro Campeonato Mineiro is the state football league of the state of Minas Gerais and is controlled by the Minas Gerais Football Federation FMF .... - Pará Campeonato Paraense Campeonato Paraense is the football league of the State of Pará, Brazil. It is organized by the Pará State Football Federation.-Clubs:Campeonato Paraense 2009*Águia de Marabá Futebol Clube*Clube Municipal Ananindeua... - Paraíba Campeonato Paraibano The Campeonato Paraibano is the football league of the state of Paraíba, Brazil.-Format:As in any other Brazilian soccer championship, the format can change and be adapted every year, mostly to avoid conflicts for the teams that will compete at a national level.The most recent season was played in... - Paraná Campeonato Paranaense Campeonato Paranaense, which has been contested since 1915, is the football league of the state of Paraná, Brazil. The "Série Ouro", literally the Golden Series, are the highest division of the league.-Format:... - Pernambuco Campeonato Pernambucano The Campeonato Pernambucano de Futebol is the football championship of Pernambuco state, Brazil, and is organized by the Pernambuco Football Federation.... - Piauí Campeonato Piauiense The Campeonato Piauiense is the football league of the state of Piauí, Brazil. The competition is organized by the Piauí Football Federation.-Clubs:First Division*4 de Julho Esporte Clube*Barras Futebol Club... - Rio de Janeiro Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... - Rio Grande do Norte Campeonato Potiguar The Campeonato Potiguar is the football league of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.-Format:First DivisionFirst stage: standard round-robin, in which all teams play each other once.... - Rio Grande do Sul Campeonato Gaúcho The Campeonato da Primeira Divisão de Futebol Profissional da FGF is the top tier of the footballleague of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.-Clubs:Clubs qualified to Campeonato Gaúcho Primeira Divisão 2011.*Canoas*Caxias... - Rondônia Campeonato Rondoniense The Campeonato Rondoniense is the football league of the state of Rondônia, Brazil. Between 1945 and 1990, the league was an amateur competition... - Roraima Campeonato Roraimense The Campeonato Roraimense is the football league of the state of Roraima, Brazil.-Format:First DivisionFirst Stage*Standard round-robin, in which all teams play each other once.Second Stage*Teams are divided in two groups of four.... - Santa Catarina Campeonato Catarinense Campeonato Catarinense is the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina football league.-History:The Campeonato Catarinense top level had several different names since it started. From its first edition, in 1924, to 1985, it was called just Campeonato Catarinense... - São Paulo Campeonato Paulista The Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April... - Sergipe Campeonato Sergipano The Campeonato Sergipano is the football league of the state of Sergipe, Brazil.-Format:Serie A-1Double round-robin, in which all teams play each other home-and-away games.The team with the most points is crowned the champion.... - Tocantins Campeonato Tocantinense The Campeonato Tocantinense is the football league of the state of Tocantins, Brazil.-Format:First Division*First stage: standard round-robin, in which all teams play each other once.... |
| 2 | State Championships Second Divisions Brazilian Football State Championship The Brazilian football state championships are football competitions carried out in every state of Brazil. As the state championships are very old competitions , they are very traditional, and are almost as important as the national leagues.Historically, because of economical or geographical... Acre - Alagoas - Amapá - Amazonas - Bahia Campeonato Baiano (lower levels) The Campeonato Baiano lower levels are the football tournaments for the Bahia state clubs that do not play in the Campeonato Baiano First Division. The competitions are organized by the Bahia Football Federation... - Ceará - Distrito Federal - Espírito Santo - Goiás - Maranhão - Mato Grosso - Mato Grosso do Sul - Minas Gerais Campeonato Mineiro (lower levels) The Campeonato Mineiro lower levels are the football tournaments for the Minas Gerais clubs that do not play in the Campeonato Mineiro First Division. The competitions are organized by the Minas Gerais Football Federation... - Pará - Paraíba - Paraná - Pernambuco Campeonato Pernambucano (lower levels) The Campeonato Pernambucano lower levels are the football tournaments for the Pernambucano state clubs that don't play in the Campeonato Pernambucano First Division. The competitions are organized by the Pernambucano Football Federation... - Piauí - Rio de Janeiro Campeonato Carioca (lower levels) The Campeonato Carioca lower levels are the football tournaments for the Rio de Janeiro clubs that do not play in the Campeonato Carioca First Division. The competitions are organized by the Rio de Janeiro State Football Federation... - Rio Grande do Norte - Rio Grande do Sul Campeonato Gaúcho (lower levels) The Campeonato Gaúcho lower levels are the football tournaments for the Rio Grande do Sul clubs that do not play in the Campeonato Gaúcho First Division in Brazil. The competitions are organized by the Rio Grande do Sul Football Federation... - Rondônia - Santa Catarina - São Paulo Campeonato Paulista Série A2 Campeonato Paulista Série A2 is the second level of the São Paulo state professional football championship, one of the Brazilian state championships. This tournament is played by 20 teams, in which the four best teams are promoted to Série A1 and the four worst teams are relegated to Série... - Sergipe - Tocantins |
| 3 | State Championships Third Divisions Brazilian Football State Championship The Brazilian football state championships are football competitions carried out in every state of Brazil. As the state championships are very old competitions , they are very traditional, and are almost as important as the national leagues.Historically, because of economical or geographical... Bahia Campeonato Baiano (lower levels) The Campeonato Baiano lower levels are the football tournaments for the Bahia state clubs that do not play in the Campeonato Baiano First Division. The competitions are organized by the Bahia Football Federation... - Ceará - Distrito Federal - Goiás - Mato Grosso - Mato Grosso do Sul - Minas Gerais Campeonato Mineiro (lower levels) The Campeonato Mineiro lower levels are the football tournaments for the Minas Gerais clubs that do not play in the Campeonato Mineiro First Division. The competitions are organized by the Minas Gerais Football Federation... - Paraná - Pernambuco Campeonato Pernambucano (lower levels) The Campeonato Pernambucano lower levels are the football tournaments for the Pernambucano state clubs that don't play in the Campeonato Pernambucano First Division. The competitions are organized by the Pernambucano Football Federation... - Rio de Janeiro Campeonato Carioca (lower levels) The Campeonato Carioca lower levels are the football tournaments for the Rio de Janeiro clubs that do not play in the Campeonato Carioca First Division. The competitions are organized by the Rio de Janeiro State Football Federation... - Rio Grande do Sul Campeonato Gaúcho (lower levels) The Campeonato Gaúcho lower levels are the football tournaments for the Rio Grande do Sul clubs that do not play in the Campeonato Gaúcho First Division in Brazil. The competitions are organized by the Rio Grande do Sul Football Federation... - Santa Catarina - São Paulo Campeonato Paulista Série A3 Campeonato Paulista Série A3 is the third level of the São Paulo state professional football championship, one of the Brazilian state championships. This tournament is played by 20 teams, in which the four best teams are promoted to Série A2... |
| 4 | State Championships Fourth Divisions Brazilian Football State Championship The Brazilian football state championships are football competitions carried out in every state of Brazil. As the state championships are very old competitions , they are very traditional, and are almost as important as the national leagues.Historically, because of economical or geographical... Paraná - Rio de Janeiro Campeonato Carioca (lower levels) The Campeonato Carioca lower levels are the football tournaments for the Rio de Janeiro clubs that do not play in the Campeonato Carioca First Division. The competitions are organized by the Rio de Janeiro State Football Federation... - São Paulo Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão, also known as Campeonato Paulista Série B, is the fourth level of the São Paulo state professional football championship, one of the Brazilian state championships... |
1The state championships are not officially hierarchically behind the Série D, but they are used by CBF as a way to promote clubs to the competition.
State league pyramid examples
The 2006 Campeonato PaulistaCampeonato Paulista
The Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April...
table below is an example of a state league pyramid. It is divided in four levels. The first three levels are disputed by 20 teams each, while the fourth level is disputed by 44 clubs. The competitions are organized by the São Paulo Football Federation
Federação Paulista de Futebol
Federação Paulista de Futebol was founded on April 22, 1941 and manages all the official soccer tournaments within the state of São Paulo including the Campeonato Paulista, the Copa São Paulo de Juniores and the Copa Paulista de Futebol....
.
Campeonato Paulista The Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April... |
|
| Level | League/Division |
|---|---|
| 1 | Série A1 Campeonato Paulista The Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April... 20 clubs |
| 2 | Série A2 Campeonato Paulista Série A2 Campeonato Paulista Série A2 is the second level of the São Paulo state professional football championship, one of the Brazilian state championships. This tournament is played by 20 teams, in which the four best teams are promoted to Série A1 and the four worst teams are relegated to Série... 20 clubs |
| 3 | Série A3 Campeonato Paulista Série A3 Campeonato Paulista Série A3 is the third level of the São Paulo state professional football championship, one of the Brazilian state championships. This tournament is played by 20 teams, in which the four best teams are promoted to Série A2... 20 clubs |
| 4 | Segunda Divisão Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão, also known as Campeonato Paulista Série B, is the fourth level of the São Paulo state professional football championship, one of the Brazilian state championships... 44 clubs |
The 2008 Campeonato Catarinense
Campeonato Catarinense
Campeonato Catarinense is the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina football league.-History:The Campeonato Catarinense top level had several different names since it started. From its first edition, in 1924, to 1985, it was called just Campeonato Catarinense...
table below is another example of a state league pyramid. It is divided in three levels. The first two levels are disputed by 12 teams (with the second being disputed by 3 from the first level plus nine from the second), while the third level is disputed by only 5 clubs. The competitions are organized by the Santa Catarina Football Federation
Federação Catarinense de Futebol
The Federação Catarinense de Futebol was founded on April 12, 1924, and manages all the official football tournaments within the state of Santa Catarina, which are the Campeonato Catarinense, the Campeonato Catarinense lower levels and the Copa Santa Catarina, and represents the clubs at the...
.
There are amateur competitions too, organized by the federation of each city, like Palhoça
Palhoça
-History:Palhoça was founded in 1793, when the city was part of the way between Lages and Florianópolis in order to protect the capital state from possible invasions. It name comes from “straw roof” because the huge quantity of houses with this kind of roof, once the first Palhoça citizens was the...
and São José
São José, Santa Catarina
São José is a city in Santa Catarina, Brazil. It is a suburb located approximately five kilometers from Florianópolis, the state capital...
. However, they are closed, and can't make it to the state main division without the approval of the board.
Campeonato Catarinense Campeonato Catarinense is the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina football league.-History:The Campeonato Catarinense top level had several different names since it started. From its first edition, in 1924, to 1985, it was called just Campeonato Catarinense... |
|
| Level | League/Division |
|---|---|
| 1 | Divisão Principal Campeonato Catarinense Campeonato Catarinense is the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina football league.-History:The Campeonato Catarinense top level had several different names since it started. From its first edition, in 1924, to 1985, it was called just Campeonato Catarinense... 12 clubs |
| 2 | Divisão Especial 12 clubs |
| 3 | Divisão de Acesso 9 clubs |
| 4 | Several Amateur Leagues (closed) |
The 2011 Campeonato Mineiro
Campeonato Mineiro
Campeonato Mineiro is the state football league of the state of Minas Gerais and is controlled by the Minas Gerais Football Federation FMF ....
table below is another example of a state league pyramid. It is divided in three levels. The first and second levels are played by 12 teams each. The third level has a variable number of participating clubs each year. The number of participants in 2011 will be known in April. The competitions are organized by the Minas Gerais Football Federation
Federação Mineira de Futebol
The Federação Mineira de Futebol is the entity that controls football practice in the state of Minas Gerais, and represents the clubs at the Brazilian Football Confederation . It organizes the Campeonato Mineiro and the lower levels of the Campeonato Mineiro....
.
Campeonato Mineiro Campeonato Mineiro is the state football league of the state of Minas Gerais and is controlled by the Minas Gerais Football Federation FMF .... |
|
| Level | League/Division |
|---|---|
| 1 | Módulo I Campeonato Mineiro Campeonato Mineiro is the state football league of the state of Minas Gerais and is controlled by the Minas Gerais Football Federation FMF .... 12 clubs |
| 2 | Módulo II 12 clubs |
| 3 | Segunda Divisão ? clubs |