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Campeonato Brasileiro Série C

Campeonato Brasileiro Série C
Founded1981; 43 years ago (1981)
CountryBrazil
Number of clubs20
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toSérie B
Relegation toSérie D
Current championsVolta Redonda (1st title)
(2024)
Most championshipsVila Nova
(3 titles)
TV partnersDAZN
Nosso Futebol
WebsiteOfficial website
Current: 2024 Campeonato Brasileiro Série C

The Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, commonly known as the Série C or the Brazilian Série C to distinguish it from the Italian Serie C, is the third tier of the Brazilian football league system.

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. Thus, the tournament is organized in regional groups and the table prevents teams from distant states from playing each other in the initial rounds.

Beginning in 2009, the Série C was reduced from 64 teams to 20 and the new Campeonato Brasileiro Série D is the qualifier for Brazilian league football. In its current format the first phase was then played in a single round, with 19 matches. The top eight teams qualify for a knock out stage and the four semi-finalists are promoted to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B. The four lowest-placed teams are relegated to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série D.

Format history

Until 2008, any professional team could apply, but only 64 teams would take part in the tournament. The teams that had been relegated from the Série B in the previous year were joined by teams qualified for each federation state. Qualification rules varied, some federations used the state tournaments as qualification tournaments, others organized exclusive qualification tournaments to the Série C.

From 2009 onwards, the qualifiers were played in four groups of five teams each. In 2011, the final round was played in two groups of four.  From 2012, the competition was played in two groups of ten teams in the first phase, increasing the number of dates. This format was maintained until 2020, when the competition's Technical Council decided to make a change in the second phase, reintroducing two groups of four to determine the promoted teams and finalists, as in 2011. In 2022, in turn, the first phase was then played in a single round, with 19 matches instead of 18. The eight best teams qualify for the second phase, which is played in the same format as before, while the four lowest-placed teams are relegated.

2024 Série C teams

Team Home city Stadium Capacity 2023 result
ABC Natal Frasqueirão 24,000 20th (Série B)
Aparecidense Aparecida de Goiânia Annibal Batista de Toledo 6,645 15th
Athletic São João del-Rei Joaquim Portugal 2,500 3rd (Série D)
Botafogo João Pessoa Almeidão 25,800 8th
Caxias Caxias do Sul Centenário 22,132 4th (Série D)
Confiança Aracaju Batistão 13,575 9th
CSA Maceió Rei Pelé 17,126 12th
Ferroviária Araraquara Fonte Luminosa 20,600 2nd (Série D)
Ferroviário Fortaleza Presidente Vargas 20,268 1st (Série D)
Figueirense Florianópolis Orlando Scarpelli 19,584 16th
Floresta Fortaleza Presidente Vargas 20,268 14th
Londrina Londrina Estádio do Café 36,000 19th (Série B)
Náutico Recife Aflitos 19,800 10th
Remo Belém Baenão 13,792 11th
Sampaio Corrêa São Luís Castelão (São Luís) 40,149 17th (Série B)
São Bernardo FC São Bernardo do Campo Primeiro de Maio 15,750 7th
São José Porto Alegre Passo D'Areia 16,000 6th
Tombense Tombos Almeidão 3,050 18th (Série B)
Volta Redonda Volta Redonda Raulino de Oliveira 18,230 5th
Ypiranga Erechim Colosso da Lagoa 22,000 13th

Champions

Official champions

The Campeonato Brasileiro has existed since 1971. However, there have been many years when no third division tournament took place. In most cases it was because the two elite divisions had too many clubs (in 1989, for instance, 96 teams contested the second division[1]). The following table shows the winners and runners-up of the Série C tournaments played from 1981, according to the Brazilian Football Confederation:[2]

Ed. Season Champion Runner-up
1
1981 Rio de Janeiro (state) Olaria Pernambuco Santo Amaro[a]
1982–1987 Not held
2
1988 São Paulo (state) União São João Minas Gerais Esportivo
1989 Not held
3
1990 Goiás Atlético Goianiense Minas Gerais América Mineiro
1991 Not held
4
1992 Pará Tuna Luso Bahia Fluminense de Feira
1993 Not held
5
1994 São Paulo (state) Novorizontino São Paulo (state) Ferroviária
6
1995 São Paulo (state) XV de Piracicaba Rio de Janeiro (state) Volta Redonda
7
1996 Goiás Vila Nova São Paulo (state) Botafogo
8
1997 Maranhão Sampaio Corrêa São Paulo (state) Juventus
9
1998 Santa Catarina (state) Avaí São Paulo (state) São Caetano
10
1999 Rio de Janeiro (state) Fluminense Amazonas (Brazilian state) São Raimundo
11
2000 Not held
See Copa João Havelange Group Green and White
12
2001 São Paulo (state) Etti Jundiaí[b] São Paulo (state) Mogi Mirim
13
2002 Federal District (Brazil) Brasiliense São Paulo (state) Marília
14
2003 São Paulo (state) Ituano São Paulo (state) Santo André
15
2004 São Paulo (state) União Barbarense Federal District (Brazil) Gama
16
2005 Pará Remo Rio Grande do Norte América (RN)
17
2006 Santa Catarina (state) Criciúma Bahia Vitória
18
2007 São Paulo (state) Bragantino Bahia Bahia
19
2008 Goiás Atlético Goianiense São Paulo (state) Guarani
20
2009 Minas Gerais América Mineiro Alagoas ASA
21
2010 Rio Grande do Norte ABC Minas Gerais Ituiutaba[c]
22
2011 Santa Catarina (state) Joinville Alagoas CRB
23
2012 São Paulo (state) Oeste Ceará Icasa
24
2013 Pernambuco Santa Cruz Maranhão Sampaio Corrêa
25
2014 Rio de Janeiro (state) Macaé Pará Paysandu
26
2015 Goiás Vila Nova Paraná (state) Londrina
27
2016 Minas Gerais Boa Esporte São Paulo (state) Guarani
28
2017 Alagoas CSA Ceará Fortaleza
29
2018 Paraná (state) Operário Ferroviário Mato Grosso Cuiabá
30
2019 Pernambuco Náutico Maranhão Sampaio Corrêa
31
2020 Goiás Vila Nova Pará Remo
32
2021 São Paulo (state) Ituano Minas Gerais Tombense
33
2022 São Paulo (state) Mirassol Rio Grande do Norte ABC
34
2023 Amazonas (Brazilian state) Amazonas Santa Catarina (state) Brusque
35
2024 Rio de Janeiro (state) Volta Redonda Minas Gerais Athletic
  1. ^ Currently named Manchete.
  2. ^ Currently named Paulista.
  3. ^ Currently named Boa Esporte.

Unofficial champions

The following season is the part corresponding to the third level of the Copa João Havelange, a competition organized by the Clube dos 13, and is not officially recognized by the CBF:[2][3]

Season Champion Runner-up Comments
2000 Paraná (state) Malutrom Minas Gerais Uberlândia It was the Green and White modules of the Copa João Havelange.

Titles by team

Rank Club Winners Winning years
1 Goiás Vila Nova 3 1996, 2015, 2020
2 Goiás Atlético Goianiense 2 1990, 2008
São Paulo (state) Ituano 2003, 2021
4 Rio Grande do Norte ABC 1 2010
Amazonas (Brazilian state) Amazonas 2023
Minas Gerais América Mineiro 2009
Santa Catarina (state) Avaí 1998
Minas Gerais Boa Esporte 2016
Federal District (Brazil) Brasiliense 2002
Santa Catarina (state) Criciúma 2006
Alagoas CSA 2017
Rio de Janeiro (state) Fluminense 1999
Santa Catarina (state) Joinville 2011
Rio de Janeiro (state) Macaé 2014
São Paulo (state) Mirassol 2022
Pernambuco Náutico 2019
São Paulo (state) Novorizontino 1994
São Paulo (state) Oeste 2012
Rio de Janeiro (state) Olaria 1981
Paraná (state) Operário Ferroviário 2018
São Paulo (state) Paulista 2001
São Paulo (state) Red Bull Bragantino 2007
Pará Remo 2005
Maranhão Sampaio Corrêa 1997
Pernambuco Santa Cruz 2013
Pará Tuna Luso 1992
São Paulo (state) União Barbarense 2004
São Paulo (state) União São João 1988
Rio de Janeiro (state) Volta Redonda 2024
São Paulo (state) XV de Piracicaba 1995

Titles by state

State Nº of titles
 São Paulo 10
 Goiás 5
 Rio de Janeiro 4
 Santa Catarina 3
 Minas Gerais 2
 Pará 2
 Pernambuco 2
 Alagoas 1
 Amazonas 1
 Distrito Federal 1
 Maranhão 1
 Paraná 1
 Rio Grande do Norte 1

Participations

Most appearances

As of 2025 season

Below is the list of clubs that have more appearances in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C.

Club App First Last
Confiança 24 1988 2025
Botafogo (PB) 22 1988 2025
Caxias 18 1990 2025
Ferroviário 17 1988 2024
Volta Redonda 17 1988 2024
CSA 16 1990 2025
Tupi 16 1988 2018
Brasil de Pelotas 15 1995 2022
Treze 15 1992 2020
ABC 14 1988 2025
Fortaleza 14 1990 2017
ASA 13 1992 2017
Figueirense 13 1981 2025
Madureira 13 1981 2015
Paysandu 13 1990 2023
Sampaio Corrêa 13 1992 2024
Atlético Goianiense 12 1990 2008
Rio Branco (SP) 12 1994 2006

Clubs promoted from Série C

Year Clubs
1981 Olaria[a]
1988 None
1990 None
1992 None
1994 Novorizontino, Ferroviária
1995 XV de Piracicaba, Volta Redonda, Gama[b], Atlético Goianiense[b], ABC[b], Joinville[b]
1996 Vila Nova, Botafogo (SP)
1997 Sampaio Corrêa, Juventus
1998 Avaí, São Caetano
1999–2000 See Copa João Havelange
2001 Etti Jundiaí, Mogi Mirim, Guarany de Sobral[c]
2002 Brasiliense, Marília
2003 Ituano, Santo André
2004 União Barbarense, Gama
2005 Remo, América de Natal
2006 Criciúma, Vitória, Ipatinga, Grêmio Barueri
2007 Bragantino, Bahia, Vila Nova, ABC
2008 Atlético Goianiense, Guarani, Campinense, Duque de Caxias
2009 América Mineiro, ASA, Guaratinguetá, Icasa
2010 ABC, Ituiutaba, Criciúma, Salgueiro
2011 Joinville, CRB, Ipatinga, América de Natal
2012 Oeste, Icasa, Chapecoense, Paysandu
2013 Santa Cruz, Sampaio Corrêa, Luverdense, Vila Nova
2014 Macaé, Paysandu, Mogi Mirim, CRB
2015 Vila Nova, Londrina, Tupi, Brasil de Pelotas
2016 Boa Esporte, Guarani, ABC, Juventude
2017 CSA, Fortaleza, Sampaio Corrêa, São Bento
2018 Operário Ferroviário, Cuiabá, Botafogo (SP), Bragantino
2019 Náutico, Sampaio Corrêa, Juventude, Confiança
2020 Vila Nova, Remo, Brusque, Londrina
2021 Ituano, Tombense, Novorizontino, Criciúma
2022 Mirassol, ABC, Botafogo (SP), Vitória
2023 Amazonas, Brusque, Operário Ferroviário, Paysandu
2024 Volta Redonda, Athletic, Ferroviária, Remo
  1. ^
    Olaria lost the right to compete in the 1982 Taça de Prata after being relegated in the Campeonato Carioca.[4]
  2. ^
  3. ^
    Promoted after Malutron withdrew from Série B.[6]

Clubs relegated from Série C

Year Clubs
2010 Alecrim, Juventude, Gama, São Raimundo (PA)
2011 Campinense, Marília, Brasil de Pelotas, Araguaína
2012 Salgueiro, Santo André, Guarany de Sobral, Tupi
2013 Betim[d], Brasiliense, Grêmio Barueri, Baraúnas, Rio Branco (AC)
2014 São Caetano, Treze, CRAC, Duque de Caxias
2015 Águia de Marabá, Madureira, Icasa, Caxias
2016 América de Natal, Portuguesa, Ríver, Guaratinguetá
2017 Moto Club, Macaé, ASA, Mogi Mirim
2018 Tupi, Juazeirense, Salgueiro, Joinville
2019 ABC, Globo, Luverdense, Atlético Acreano
2020 Treze, São Bento, Boa Esporte, Imperatriz
2021 Jacuipense, Paraná, Santa Cruz, Oeste
2022 Atlético Cearense, Brasil de Pelotas, Ferroviário, Campinense
2023 Manaus, América de Natal, Altos, Pouso Alegre
2024 Sampaio Corrêa, Aparecidense, Ferroviário, São José (RS)
  1. ^
    Expelled by the sports court. CRAC is spared from relegation.[7]

Topscorers

Year Player (team) Goals
1981 Fabinho (Santo Amaro)
Pedro Müller (São Borja)
5
1988 Kel (União São João) 9
1990 Júlio César (Atlético Goianiense) 10
1992 Jorge Veras (Ferroviário-CE) 9
1994 Rogerinho (Caldas) 5
1995 Serginho (XV de Piracicaba) 6
1996 Marcelinho (Rio Branco-SP) 16
1997 Marcelo Baron (Sampaio Corrêa) 9
1998 Fabrício (Anapolina) 14
1999 Aldrovani (Figueirense) 14
2000 Murilo (Tuna Luso) 10
2001 Edmilson (Brasiliense)
Jean Carlos (Etti Jundiaí)
Rodrigo Ayres (Atlético Goianiense)
14
2002 Túlio Maravilha (Brasiliense)
Wellington Dias (Brasiliense)
11
2003 Nílson Sergipano (Botafogo-PB) 11
2004 Frontini (União Barbarense)
Marciano (Limoeiro)
Vítor (Gama)
10
2005 Paulinho Marília (América-RN) 10
2006 Sorato (Bahia) 16
2007 Túlio Maravilha (Vila Nova) 27
2008 Marcão (Atlético Goianiense) 25
2009 Marciano (Icasa)
Nena (ASA)
8
2010 Bruno Rangel (Paysandu) 8
2011 Ronaldo Capixaba (Joinville) 11
2012 Dênis Marques (Santa Cruz) 11
2013 Assisinho (Fortaleza) 12
2014 Ytalo (Guaratinguetá) 12
2015 Guilherme Queiróz (Portuguesa) 12
2016 Jones Carioca (ABC) 12
2017 Rafael Grampola (Joinville) 13
2018 Caio Dantas (Botafogo-SP) 11
2019 Eduardo (Treze)
Luiz Eduardo (São José-RS)
Negueba (Globo)
Salatiel (Sampaio Corrêa)
8
2020 Thiago Alagoano (Brusque) 12
2021 Diego Quirino (Ypiranga de Erechim) 10
2022 Alex Henrique (Aparecidense) 12
2023 Sassá (Amazonas) 18
2024 Kayke (São Bernardo)
Paulo Sérgio (Náutico)
10

Winning managers

Year Manager Club
1981 Duque Olaria
1988 José Duarte União São João
1990 Homero Cavalheiro Atlético Goianiense
1992 Nélio Pereira Tuna Luso
1994 José Teixeira Novorizotino
1995 Vadão XV de Piracicaba
1996 Roberval Davino Vila Nova
1997 Pinho Sampaio Corrêa
1998 Roberto Cavalo Avaí
1999 Carlos Alberto Parreira Fluminense
2000 Amauri Knevitz Malutron
2001 Giba Etti Jundiaí
2002 Gérson Andreotti Brasiliense
2003 Ruy Scarpino Ituano
2004 Sérgio Farias União Barbarense
2005 Roberval Davino (2) Remo
2006 Guilherme Macuglia Criciúma
2007 Marcelo Veiga Bragantino
2008 Mauro Fernandes Atlético Goianiense
2009 Givanildo Oliveira América Mineiro
2010 Leandro Campos ABC
2011 Arturzinho Joinville
2012 Luís Carlos Martins Oeste
2013 Vica Santa Cruz
2014 Josué Teixeira Macaé
2015 Márcio Fernandes Vila Nova
2016 Ney da Matta Boa Esporte
2017 Flávio Araújo CSA
2018 Gerson Gusmão Operário Ferroviário
2019 Gilmar Dal Pozzo Náutico
2020 Márcio Fernandes (2) Vila Nova
2021 Mazola Júnior Ituano
2022 Ricardo Catalá Mirassol
2023 Luizinho Vieira Amazonas
2024 Rogério Corrêa Volta Redonda

See also

References

  1. ^ "Brazil 2nd Level 1989 Divisão Especial". Rssf.
  2. ^ a b "Campeões" (in Portuguese). CBF. Archived from the original on October 14, 2009. Retrieved October 29, 2009.
  3. ^ Enciclopédia do Futebol Brasileiro Lance Volume 2. Rio de Janeiro: Aretê Editorial S/A. 2001. p. 387. ISBN 85-88651-01-7.
  4. ^ "Brazil 2nd Level 1982". RSSSF. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  5. ^ "Com quedas inéditas, veja como ficou o ranking de rebaixamentos no futebol brasileiro". Atualiza Bahia (in Portuguese). December 10, 2019. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  6. ^ "Malutron desiste de disputar Série B". Estadão (in Portuguese). July 20, 2002. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  7. ^ "CRAC ganha briga e fica com vaga do Betim na Série C". Estadão (in Portuguese). April 18, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2023.