State football leagues in Brazil

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State football leagues in Brazil are football leagues competed in each of the 26 states of Brazil and in the Federal District. One such league, the Campeonato Paulista, which started in 1902, is the oldest football competition in Brazil.[1] Due to their long tradition, they are highly regarded, and are almost as important as the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.[2]

Historically, because of economical or geographical issues, the long distances between important cities of the country made the Brazilian people develop a strong competitive culture within the states.[3] So, each Brazilian state has its own state championship.[4] As of 2009, most of the state championships start in January and conclude in early May (23 dates assigned to matches).[5]

Due to these competitions, some matches between rival clubs of the same state or city have a similar or bigger importance than an interstate match between two important clubs.[3][6] These local matches are called clássicos (classics, or derbies). Some examples are Fla-Flu, in Rio de Janeiro, Corinthians-Palmeiras and San-São in São Paulo, Atlético-Cruzeiro in Minas Gerais, Naútico-Sport in Pernambuco, Gre–Nal in Rio Grande do Sul, Atle-Tiba, in Paraná, Ba-Vi in Bahia etc.[3]

The state champions and, in some states, the runners-up, are automatically qualified to play in the following year's Copa do Brasil.[7] Also, the best placed clubs of each state which are not competing the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Série B or Série C qualify to the same year's Série D.[8]

2014 state champions[edit]

For previous seasons champions, see Category:Seasons in Brazilian football.

List of state soccer leagues in Brazil[edit]


  1. ^ "Campeonato Paulista 1902" (in Portuguese). Campeões do Futebol. Retrieved February 19, 2009. 
  2. ^ Soares, Thales (February 2, 2008). "Apesar da fórmula desigual, cariocas ainda batem recordes" (in Portuguese). JB Online. Retrieved February 19, 2009. [dead link]
  3. ^ a b c Duarte, Orlando; Jairo Giovenardi (February 2, 2008). "O diferencial no futebol brasileiro" (in Portuguese). Diário de Sorocaba. Retrieved February 19, 2009. 
  4. ^ "Campeonatos Estaduais (State Championships)" (in Portuguese). RSSSF Brasil. Retrieved February 19, 2009. 
  5. ^ Azevedo, José Geraldo (October 8, 2008). "CBF modifica calendário de 2009" (in Portuguese). Justiça Desportiva. Retrieved February 19, 2009. [dead link]
  6. ^ Marques, Dassler (December 10, 2008). "Cenário redimensionado" (in Portuguese). Trivela. Retrieved February 19, 2009. 
  7. ^ "Copa do Brasil de 2009" (PDF) (in Portuguese). CBF. December 17, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2009. [dead link]
  8. ^ "CBF enxuga Série C e cria a D em 2009" (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. April 9, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2009.