Background of the Brazilian Football Leagues System –
The Problem
The Brazilian Football Association (Confederação Brasileira de Futebol, “CBF”), founded in
1914, is the national governing body for football, recognized by FIFA. CBF is a private entity
under the Brazilian Civil Code. CBF’s institutional purposes, as stated in its social statute, is,
among others, to administrate, direct, control, foment, disseminate, improve and supervise
the practice of professional and non-professional football within the whole national territory.
This also includes the coordination of executing football competitions, in each of its forms, to
maintain the sportive order and to watch for the discipline within the practice of football.
Finally, to represent the Brazilian football abroad and to respect, abide by and enforce FIFA’s
and CONMEBOL’s regulations.
It is important to highlight some numbers regarding the Brazilian football to present an
overview. The last ofcial estimative by CBF, released in 2009, demonstrates a total of 783
professional football clubs. From which, 520 clubs are playing professional competitions.
The number of football players is also surprising to some, by the end of 2015, there were
28.203 professional and 22.782 amateur football players in Brazil (according to CBF).
The Brazilian football calendar is played from January to December, in opposite to the reality
in Europe. Due to its huge territorial area, Brazil has an interesting aspect, the dispute of
State Championships. The State Championships take place in each of the 26 States plus the
Federal District. Historically and for geographical and economic reasons, it has developed a
strong culture of disputing the State Championships, which reinforces the rivalry between
clubs from the same regions. These championships take place during the rst part of the
season, for a period of three to four months.
There are two national championships in Brazil, the Brazilian Cup and the Brazilian
Championship. The Brazilian Cup is played by 64 clubs, in 18 match days, from March to
November. It is played in a Cup format, which means play-offs (through draws), until the
Champion is decided in a two-leg
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