View source for Football in Brazil

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Use American English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox sport overview
| title = Football in Brazil
| image = Maracanã stadium.jpg
| caption = Night view of [[Maracanã Stadium]], June 2013.
| union = [[Brazilian Football Confederation|CBF]]
| country = Brazil
| sport = football
| noncountry = 
| nickname = 
| first = 1894<ref name=donohue/>
| registered = 2.1 million<ref name=portal>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140220082112/http://www.portal2014.org.br/en/brazilian-soccer/ Brazilian Soccer: A Country of "Soccerists"]</ref>
| clubs = 29,208<ref name=portal/>
<!-- COMPETITIONS -->| national_list = [[Copa do Brasil]]
| club_list = [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A|Série A]] <br /> [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série B|Série B]] <br /> [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série C|Série C]] <br /> [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série D|Série D]]

[[State football leagues in Brazil|State Football Leagues in Brazil]]
There are 27 competitions.<ref>[[State football leagues in Brazil]]</ref>
| intl_list = [[FIFA World Cup]] <br /> [[Copa América]] <br /> [[FIFA Club World Cup]] <br /> [[Copa Libertadores]] <br /> [[Copa Sudamericana]] 
<!-- AUDIENCE RECORDS -->| match = 199,854 <br /> ([[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] [[Uruguay v Brazil (1950 FIFA World Cup)|1-2]] [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]] at [[Maracanã Stadium]] in [[1950 FIFA World Cup]])<ref>[http://www.topendsports.com/world/lists/crowd-largest.htm Largest Sporting Crowds at Top End Sports]</ref>
| league = 
}}

[[Association football|Football]] is the most popular sport in [[Brazil]] and a prominent part of the country's national identity. Over 68% of the Brazilians are considered football fans.<ref>https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/ultimas-noticias/2022/05/26/estudo-ibope-publico-internet-futebol.htm</ref> The [[Brazil national football team]] has won the [[FIFA World Cup]] five times, the most of any team, in [[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]], [[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]], [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]], [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]] and [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brazilian-football.com/ |title=Brazilian Football |publisher=Brazilian Football |access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> Brazil and [[Germany national football team|Germany]] are the only teams to succeed in qualifying for all the World Cups for which they entered the qualifiers; Brazil is the only team to participate in every World Cup competition ever held. Brazil has also won an Olympic [[gold medal]], at the [[2016 Summer Olympics]] held in [[Rio de Janeiro]]<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-oly-rio-2016-brazil-tops-germany-for-soccer-gold-1471736142-htmlstory.html| title = 2016 Summer Olympics: The U.S. dominates Rio Games with 121 medals - Los Angeles Times| website = [[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> and at the [[2020 Summer Olympics]] in [[Tokyo]]. Brazil hosted the [[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]] and [[2014 FIFA World Cup]]. It also hosted the inaugural [[FIFA Club World Championship|2000 FIFA Club World Cup]].

[[Pelé]] won three World Cups (he was injured during most of the 1962 World Cup). Some of the most prominent players in football come from Brazil, including [[Garrincha]], [[Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)|Ronaldo]], [[Roberto Carlos]], [[Romário]], [[Ronaldinho]], [[Nilton Santos]], [[Djalma Santos]], [[Cláudio Taffarel|Taffarel]], [[Paulo Roberto Falcão|Falcão]], [[Rivaldo]], [[Zico (footballer)|Zico]], [[Kaká]] and [[Neymar]] in men's game and [[Marta Vieira da Silva|Marta]] in the women's game.

The governing body of '''football in Brazil''' is the [[Brazilian Football Confederation]].

==History==
{{Main|History of football in Brazil}}
Football was introduced to Brazil by [[Scottish people|Scottish]] immigrant [[Thomas Donohoe]].<ref name = "donohue"/> The first football match played in Brazil was in April 1894, played on a pitch marked out by Donohoe next to his workplace in [[Bangu (neighborhood)|Bangu]].<ref name = "donohue">{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/more-scottish-football/new-research-reveals-the-scottish-dye-worker-who-brought-football-to-brazil-117-years-ago-exclusive-1.1092220 |title=New research reveals the Scottish dye worker who brought football to Brazil, 117 years ago exclusive |publisher=Herald Scotland |date=March 24, 2011 |access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref>

In the 1870s, like many other British workers, a Scottish expatriate named John Miller worked on the railroad construction project in [[São Paulo]] with other European immigrants.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S4p2zOEMxh8C&pg=PT22 |title=Toward the Goal: The Kaka Story - Jeremy V. Jones - Google Books |date=April 27, 2010 |isbn=9780310590033 |access-date=February 21, 2014|last1=Jones |first1=Jeremy V. }}</ref><ref>{{citation | last=Bellos | first=Alex | year=2003 | title=Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life | publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing | isbn=978-0-7475-6179-8 | page=[https://archive.org/details/futebolbrazilian0000bell/page/27 27] | url=https://archive.org/details/futebolbrazilian0000bell/page/27 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/22379/1/wp59.pdf |title=The 'Labour Question' in Nineteenth Century Brazil: railways, export agriculture and labour scarcity|page=35|access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> In 1884, Miller sent his ten-year-old son [[Charles William Miller]] to Bannister School in [[Southampton]], England, to be educated. Charles was a skilled athlete who quickly picked up the game of football at the time when [[the Football League]] was still being formed, and as an accomplished winger and striker Charles held school honors that gained him entry into the [[Southampton F.C.]] team, and later into the county team of [[Hampshire]].

In 1888, the first sports club was founded in the city, [[São Paulo Athletic Club]]. In 1892, while still in England, Charles was invited to play a game for [[Corinthian F.C.]], a team formed of players invited from public schools and universities. On his return to Brazil, Charles brought some football equipment and a rule book with him. He then taught the rules of the game to players in São Paulo. On December 14, 1901, the "Liga Paulista de Foot-Ball" was founded, organising its own championship, "[[Campeonato Paulista]]", first held in [[1902 Campeonato Paulista|1902]]. Therefore, Campeonato Paulista became the oldest official competition in Brazilian football.<ref>[https://www.iffhs.de/index.php/posts/605 IFFHS HISTORY AND STATISTICS - CAMPEONATO PAULISTA DE FUTBOL (1902 - 1924) part 1] on the IFFHS, May 18, 2020</ref> Another important club, called Società Sportiva Palestra Itália club, that was founded in 1914 played a big role in helping Italian immigrants get accustomed to Brazilian society.<ref name=":11">{{Cite book |last=Bocketti |first=Gregg P |title=Italian Immigrants, Brazilian Football, and the Dilemma of National Identity |publisher=Journal of Latin American studies |year=2008 |edition=2 |pages=285}}</ref> The club's goal was to promote "Italian identity and allegiance, helping the immigrant community to cultivate a sense of discrete ethnicity".<ref name=":11" /> 

São Paulo Athletic Club won the first three years' Paulista championships. Miller's skills were far above his colleagues at this stage. He was given the honor of contributing his name to a move involving a deft flick of the ball with the heel "Chaleira" (the "tea-pot"). The first match played by one of Miller's teams was six months after Donohoe's.<ref name = "donohue"/>

Another competition, [[Campeonato Carioca]], was first held in [[1906 Campeonato Carioca|1906]] as the [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|Rio de Janeiro State]] football championship, being contested up to present days.

Charles Miller kept a strong bond with English football throughout his life. After a tour of [[England|English]] team [[Corinthian F.C.]] to Brazil in 1910, [[Sport Club Corinthians Paulista|Corinthians]] was established on September 1, taking on the name of the British side after a suggestion from Miller. In [[1913 in Brazilian football|1913]] there were two different editions of the Campeonato Paulista. One was organized by the Associação Paulista de Esportes Atléticos (APEA) while the other one was organized by the Liga Paulista de Foot-Ball (LPF).

The [[Brazilian Football Confederation]] (CBF) was founded in 1914, but the current format for the [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A|Campeonato Brasileiro]] was only established in 1959.

==Football style==
[[File:Garrincha 1962.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Garrincha]] (left), Brazilian winger and [[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962 World Cup]] star, is regarded as one of the greatest dribblers of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifhof.com/hof/garrincha.asp|title=Hall of Fame: Garrincha|publisher=ifhof.com|access-date=7 July 2015}}</ref>]]

Brazil plays a very distinctive style, referred to as 'ginga'.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-07 |title=What is samba soccer? Brazil football style, dancing & tricks explained {{!}} Goal.com US |url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/samba-soccer-brazil-football-style-dancing-tricks-explained/bltab9aabd6002977a3 |access-date=2025-12-16 |website=www.goal.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Master the Ginga: Your Ultimate Guide to Brazil’s Football Philosophy |url=https://www.wemakefootballers.com/news/how-to-master-ginga-the-secret-to-brazilian-football-skills |access-date=2025-12-16 |website=www.wemakefootballers.com |language=en}}</ref> For example, [[dribbling]] is an essential part of their style.<ref>{{cite web|last=Langbein |first=Francis |url=http://www.socceramerica.com/article/50554/the-secret-behind-the-mystique-of-beautiful-brazil.html |title=The secret behind the mystique of beautiful Brazilian soccer 02/28/2013 |publisher=SoccerAmerica |date=February 28, 2013 |access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Homewood |first=Brian |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/menezes-sets-brazil-quest-for-old-style-7466751.html |title=Menezes sets Brazil quest for old style - World Cup 2014 - Football |newspaper=The Independent |date=March 1, 2012 |access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Sky Sports">{{cite web|url=http://www1.skysports.com/FIFA-World-Cup-2014/news/12027/2381847/carlos-backs-brazilian-style |title=Carlos backs Brazilian style &#124; Football News |publisher=Sky Sports |access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref><ref name="The famous Brazilian football">{{cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hellochina/brazilianambassador2009/2009-08/24/content_8608530.htm |title=The famous Brazilian football |publisher=Chinadaily.com.cn |access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> 

After the third title in the [[1970 FIFA World Cup]], Brazilian football experienced a drought of World Cup titles, which would only end in 1994. In the meantime, despite playing flashy football that enchanted the world (like the [[1982 FIFA World Cup squads|1982 FIFA World Cup squad]]), the Seleção started to prioritize results-based football. Thus, since the mid-1990s, Brazilian football began to lose its characteristics. For [[Tostão]], Brazilian football has become outdated: "The most classic example of this is that in the last 20 years Brazil has not had a single great midfield player. And this happened because there was a division in the midfield between the midfielders, who play scoring further back, and two midfielders, who play up front, close to the opponent's area. The game lost exchange of passes in that environment. The Spanish and Germans do this very well. That was the best Brazil had in my time and disappeared. We had [[Gérson]], [[Rivellino]], [[Clodoaldo]], then [[Falcão]], [[Toninho Cerezo]]. This is what Iniesta, Rakitic, Modric and Kroos did, for example, and what Xavi and Schweinsteiger did. This characteristic that the Europeans encouraged most, the Brazilians devalued. We created many area dribblers. This is just one example of how Brazilian football has gone down the wrong path."<ref>[https://g1.globo.com/jornal-da-globo/noticia/2010/05/selecao-brasileira-encanta-o-mundo-em-1982-mesmo-sem-ganhar.html Seleção brasileira encanta o mundo em 1982, mesmo sem ganhar]</ref><ref>[https://www.gazetadopovo.com.br/esportes/copa/2010/selecao-brasileira/a-cara-de-dunga-1fsvgd0djsqb1a9nx21a58766/ A cara de Dunga]</ref><ref>[https://brasil.elpais.com/brasil/2016/10/06/deportes/1475705738_063971.html Tostão: “Esse oba-oba em torno do Tite é perigoso”]</ref>

The great exodus of players in recent years to European competitions has generated a great debate in the country, especially about the consequences this would have on the style of Brazilian football, as it could "Europeanize" the way players act.<ref>[https://oglobo.globo.com/esportes/estamos-praticando-aqui-no-brasil-um-futebol-europeizado-12676333 Estamos praticando, aqui no Brasil, um futebol europeizado?]</ref>

==Brazilian team==
[[File:Brazil 1970.JPG|thumb|The [[1970 FIFA World Cup]]-winning Brazil team, considered by many distinguished commentators as the greatest football team ever]]

The [[Brazil national football team]] is one of the main national football teams in the world. The biggest winner of the [[FIFA World Cup]], with five titles, Brazil is known for its yellow and green shirt, with blue shorts and white socks, the four colors of the national flag. Because the shirt is predominantly yellow, the Brazilian team is also treated as the [[Saffron finch|Canarinho]] team.<ref>[https://www.terra.com.br/esportes/brasil/ha-21-anos-o-brasil-conquistava-o-penta-mundial,a0b93e27e2a4ca2c9e64938b6b5007b87fmzsiq4.html Há 21 anos o Brasil conquistava o penta mundial]</ref><ref>[https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/esportes/saiba-por-que-a-selecao-brasileira-e-chamada-de-canarinha/ Saiba por que a Seleção Brasileira é chamada de Canarinha ]</ref>

Founded on July 21, 1914, the 12th anniversary of [[Fluminense Football Club]], the Seleção played its first game at the Laranjeiras Stadium, against the English team Exeter City. The Brazilian team is widely considered the most relevant team in world football.<ref>[https://ge.globo.com/futebol/selecao-brasileira/noticia/2014/04/100-anos-da-selecao-1-rival-do-brasil-exeter-se-orgulha-de-lugar-na-historia.html 100 anos da Seleção: 1º rival do Brasil, Exeter se orgulha de lugar na história]</ref>

The Brazilian national team also won the [[Copa América]] on eight occasions, the [[Confederations Cup]] on four, and in 2016 and 2020 won the gold medal, awarded to football champions at the [[Football at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]], in the edition of the games held in Rio de Janeiro, having won three silver medals for runners-up and two bronze medals for third places.<ref>[https://www.terra.com.br/esportes/futebol/copa-2022/brasil-e-argentina-no-topo-veja-as-selecoes-com-mais-titulos-na-historia,1febb8c33eb3845c58a8d6d588c5646buvq0zlvx.html Brasil e Argentina no topo: veja as seleções com mais títulos na história]</ref>

The Brazilian team's biggest rivals are [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] and [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]] on the American continent. In addition to these, the Europeans, [[England national football team|England]], [[Italy national football team|Italy]] and the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]], are traditional opponents, due to the clashes held, mainly in World Cups.<ref>[https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/esportes/saiba-como-surgiu-a-rivalidade-entre-brasil-e-argentina-no-futebol/  Saiba como surgiu a rivalidade entre Brasil e Argentina no futebol]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fonseca |first=Guilherme Medeiros |date=2018-11-16 |title=Tabus e duelos históricos marcam rivalidade entre Brasil e Uruguai |url=https://www.gazetaesportiva.com/times/brasil/tabus-e-duelos-historicos-marcam-rivalidade-entre-brasil-e-uruguai/ |website=Gazeta Esportiva |language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rocha |first=Arnaldo |date=2021-03-24 |title=Brasil x Holanda: Tudo sobre uma das maiores rivalidades em Mundiais! |url=https://lendasdofutebol.com/brasil-x-holanda-tudo-sobre-uma-das-maiores-rivalidades-em-mundiais/ |website=Lendas do Futebol |language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>[https://www.terra.com.br/esportes/brasil-e-italia-rivalidade-historica-no-futebol,b3a839ba21bba310VgnCLD200000bbcceb0aRCRD.html Brasil e Itália: rivalidade histórica no futebol]</ref>

== Entities ==
===CBF===

The [[Brazilian Football Confederation]] (CBF) is the highest sports entity in the country. It organizes all championships in the national territory and represents Brazil in international competitions between countries with the Brazilian team. It is headquartered in the city of Rio de Janeiro.<ref>[https://www.cbf.com.br/ CBF site]</ref>

===State federations===

State Federations are responsible for regulating football in each State within its jurisdiction. They are inferior bodies linked to the CBF, having their own autonomy to organize championships, elect president, sign contracts and recognize clubs and associations linked to the sport.<ref>[https://www.cbf.com.br/a-cbf/institucional/balancos-federacoes Condeferações estaduais de futebol]</ref>

===Sports justice===

The Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD, in Portuguese) is a legal body in the field of sports in Brazil. He is responsible for judging cases involving clubs and athletes. It is common for them to participate in the daily life of Brazilian football through trials of cases of suspension due to red and yellow cards, cases of aggression or even doping. Its lower body is the Sports Justice Court (TJD, in Portuguese), which operates at state level.<ref>[https://www.stjd.org.br/ STJD site]</ref><ref>[http://www.tjdrj.org.br/ TJD do Rio de Janeiro]</ref>

==Main clubs==

[[File:Gre-nal.jpg|thumb|[[Grenal]], one of the fiercest football rivalries in the world.]]

In Brazil, historically 12 clubs are considered the "big" clubs in Brazil (the called [[G-12 (Brazilian football)|G-12]] locally), being those: [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]], [[Palmeiras]], [[Sport Club Corinthians Paulista|Corinthians]] and [[Santos FC|Santos]] from the [[São Paulo (state)|state of São Paulo]]; [[Fluminense]], [[Flamengo]], [[CR Vasco da Gama|Vasco da Gama]] and [[Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas|Botafogo]] from the [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|state of Rio de Janeiro]]; [[Internacional]] and [[Grêmio]] from the state of [[Rio Grande do Sul]]; [[Atlético Mineiro]] and [[Cruzeiro Esporte Clube|Cruzeiro]] from the state of [[Minas Gerais]]. They are considered the most popular and successful sides in Brazilian football, having won all but six editions of the [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A|Brasileirão]] between them since the tournament's inception.

Apart from the G-12, others clubs are also occasionally identified as big clubs (notably in their states of origin), the biggest example being [[Club Athletico Paranaense|Athletico Paranaense]] in [[Paraná (state)|Paraná]], mainly because of the recent campaigns of the club in national and international stage, being the only Brazilian club along with [[São Caetano Futebol|São Caetano]] outside of the G-12 to reach a [[Copa Libertadores]] final, with both losing all finals played (São Caetano in [[2002 Copa Libertadores finals|2002]] and Athletico Paranaense in [[2005 Copa Libertadores finals|2005]] and [[2022 Copa Libertadores final|2022]]). This makes [[Club Athletico Paranaense|Athletico Paranaense]] have enormous growth in assets and income in the 21st century, therefore being considered one of the greats of Brazilian football by much of the national press.<ref>[https://jovempan.com.br/esportes/futebol/botafogo-agora-e-o-unico-entre-os-12-grandes-clubes-do-brasil-sem-titulo-de-libertadores.html Botafogo agora é o único entre os 12 grandes clubes do Brasil sem título de Libertadores]</ref><ref>[https://www.espn.com.br/futebol/artigo/_/id/9966397/athletico-pr-mais-relevante-quais-clubes-grupo-12-grandes-veja-opiniao-comentaristas-canais-disney Athletico-PR já é mais relevante que quais clubes do grupo dos '12 grandes'? Veja opinião dos comentaristas dos canais Disney]</ref>

In addition to these thirteen mentioned, [[Esporte Clube Bahia|Bahia]], [[Coritiba]], [[Guarani FC|Guarani]] and [[Sport Club do Recife|Sport]], are also Brazilian champion clubs, making a total of 17 Brazilian Championship champion clubs through the history of the Brazil's main football championship.

==Calendar and competitions==

A source of great controversy in Brazil, the football calendar has over time been the target of criticism from fans, specialized journalists and even club directors. With the approval of the "Football Fan Statute" by the National Congress, changes began to transform the national calendar. According to the CBF, the intention is to make the Brazilian calendar compatible with those of European countries, to reconcile the interests of national and international football organizations.<ref>[https://www.netvasco.com.br/news/noticias12/28705.shtml CBF diz que mudança no calendário depende dos clubes]</ref><ref>[https://extra.globo.com/esporte/clubes-aprovam-mudancas-no-calendario-506662.html Clubes aprovam mudanças no calendário]</ref>

The Brazilian season traditionally starts in January. Today, the first competition to be played by professional squads is the state championships. Previously, between the mid-1990s and 2002, regional competitions, such as the Rio-São Paulo Tournament, the Copa Sul-Minas and the Copa Nordeste, for example, were held at the beginning of the year. They involved teams from different states. However, they were extinguished, as they overwhelmed the big teams in the first half. The [[Copa do Brasil]], played in the first half of the year, grew and gained importance. This is the only national competition that involves clubs from all states in Brazil, classified based on state tournaments from the previous year. By decision of the CBF, the Copa do Brasil now also includes the participation of teams qualified for the [[Copa Libertadores|Libertadores da América]], also played in the first half of each year.
Bahia team was the first Brazilian champion, in 1959.<ref>[https://exame.com/esporte/estaduais-pelo-brasil-veja-a-data-de-estreia-do-seu-time-em-2024/ Estaduais pelo Brasil: veja a data de estreia do seu time em 2024]</ref><ref>[https://ge.globo.com/pi/futebol/copa-do-brasil/noticia/2024/01/05/copa-do-brasil-2024-cbf-divulga-tabela-basica-do-torneio-inicio-esta-previsto-para-fevereiro.ghtml Copa do Brasil 2024: CBF divulga tabela básica do torneio; início está previsto para fevereiro]</ref><ref>[https://ge.globo.com/rj/futebol/noticia/2022/09/21/cbf-divulga-calendario-do-futebol-brasileiro-para-2023.ghtml CBF divulga calendário do futebol brasileiro para 2023]</ref>

The [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A|Brazilian Football Championship]], also popularly known as Brasileirão, has been held between May and December normally, since 2003. As it starts before the middle of each year, the championship suffers with the opening of the foreign market between July and August, causing many players move to other countries. Furthermore, its beginning takes place during the decisive phase of the [[Copa Libertadores]] and its completion is in competition with the [[Copa Sudamericana]].<ref>[https://ge.globo.com/rj/futebol/noticia/2022/09/21/cbf-divulga-calendario-do-futebol-brasileiro-para-2023.ghtml CBF divulga calendário do futebol brasileiro para 2023]</ref>

In total, a Brazilian club can end up playing around 70 matches throughout the year. There are 20 more compared to the representatives of the main European leagues, or 22 compared to their South American neighbors. First division games in the country usually take place in rounds on Wednesday and Thursday, in the evening, and Saturday and Sunday, in the afternoon.<ref>[https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/esporte/2022/01/times-brasileiros-jogam-20-partidas-a-mais-por-ano-que-europeus.shtml Times brasileiros jogam 20 partidas a mais por ano que europeus]</ref>

In the past, the state and national championships, since they were created, divided the Brazilian football calendar. One competition for each semester. Furthermore, in parallel to the state competitions, there were municipal and regional competitions and, in some places, the Home Tournament, which had all its matches in just one day.

==Football culture==
[[File:Brazil and Colombia match at the FIFA World Cup 2014-07-04 (33).jpg|thumb|[[2014 FIFA World Cup]]]]
[[File:Spectators watching Brazil national football team train at Dobsonville Stadium 2010-06-03 10.jpg|thumb|Spectators watching Brazil national football team]]
Football is a significant part of the Brazilian identity. It is considered the country's most significant socio-cultural activity. In this way, football is not only a sport, but also an essential part of Brazil's cultural identity. It is the most popular sport in Brazil, and Brazilians passion for the sport makes them often refer to their country as "o País do Futebol" ("the country of football").<ref>[https://www2.camara.leg.br/a-camara/programas-institucionais/experiencias-presenciais/parlamentojovem/outros-conteudos/projetos-pjb/futebol-esporte-mais-popular-no-brasil-tem-data-nacional-no-mes-de-julho-1 Futebol: esporte mais popular no Brasil tem data nacional no mês de julho]</ref>

The integration of the sport in different segments of society marked the beginning of the Brazilian football identity. The sport became part of Brazilians daily life, and with time, it also became part of the popular culture.<ref>[https://www.osul.com.br/a-paixao-dos-jovens-brasileiros-pelo-futebol-e-o-impacto-dos-servicos-online/ A paixão dos jovens brasileiros pelo futebol e o impacto dos serviços online]</ref>

The biggest evidence of the importance that football has on Brazilian culture is the World Cup. Every four years, Brazilians dominate the streets, cheering and celebrating their country. The sport brings people together.<ref>[https://g1.globo.com/mundo/copa-do-catar/noticia/2022/11/21/brasileiros-pintam-e-enfeitam-ruas-para-a-copa-do-mundo-veja-imagens-pelo-pais.ghtml Brasileiros pintam e enfeitam ruas para a Copa do Mundo: veja imagens pelo país]</ref><ref>[https://odia.ig.com.br/vida-e-estilo/2014-06-06/decoracao-de-rua-no-brasil-e-tradicao-nas-copas.html Decoração de rua no Brasil é tradição nas Copas]</ref><ref>[https://g1.globo.com/mundo/copa-do-catar/noticia/2022/11/28/torcedores-comemoram-vitoria-da-selecao-brasileira-em-diversos-pontos-de-belo-horizonte.ghtml Torcedores comemoram vitória da Seleção Brasileira em diversos pontos de Belo Horizonte]</ref>

However, in recent years, with the rise of the internet, which makes it easier to follow any sport, and with Brazil's evolution in Olympic sports ([[Brazil at the Olympics|the country became one of the 15 strongest in the world at the Olympic Games]]), the Brazilian population has been changing their tastes, and begins to become more interested in sports such as surfing, skateboarding, tennis, swimming, judo, volleyball and others, reducing the importance of football.<ref>[https://exame.com/casual/surfe-e-skate-impulsionam-audiencia-da-olimpiada-principalmente-no-brasil/ Surfe e skate impulsionam audiência da Olimpíada, principalmente no Brasil]</ref><ref>[https://exame.com/bussola/a-olimpiada-da-tv-e-sucesso-em-audiencia/ A Olimpíada da TV é sucesso em audiência]</ref><ref>[https://noticiasdatv.uol.com.br/noticia/televisao/ibope-do-brasileirao-cai-14-e-tem-pior-indice-de-era-exclusiva-da-globo-71559 Ibope do Brasileirão cai 14% e tem pior índice de 'era exclusiva' da Globo]</ref><ref>[https://veja.abril.com.br/economia/fator-messi-champions-league-tem-pior-audiencia-da-historia-na-tv-aberta Fator Messi? Champions League tem pior audiência da história na TV aberta]</ref><ref>[https://esportes.r7.com/prisma/cosme-rimoli/tensao-na-globo-futebol-feminino-despenca-a-audiencia-em-43-patrocinadores-da-copa-do-mundo-estao-com-medo-nao-e-canalhice-19062023 Tensão na Globo. Futebol feminino despenca a audiência em 43%. Patrocinadores da Copa do Mundo estão com medo. Não é 'canalhice' ]</ref><ref>[https://oglobo.globo.com/play/audiencia/noticia/2023/10/09/com-jogo-do-brasil-no-pre-olimpico-volei-tem-melhor-audiencia-do-ultimo-ano.ghtml Com jogo do Brasil no Pré-Olímpico, vôlei tem melhor audiência do último ano]</ref><ref>[https://www.terra.com.br/esportes/pesquisa-aponta-crescimento-de-interesse-por-volei-entre-adultos-brasileiros,78a4a71a7a827b4c631eeeba8d293debz10vaf6f.html Pesquisa aponta crescimento de interesse por vôlei entre adultos brasileiros]</ref>

== Women's football ==
[[Women's association football|Women's football]], unlike men's, has noticeably less popularity in the country.

The [[Brazil women's national football team|Brazilian women's national team]] managed to finish as runners-up at the [[Football at the Summer Olympics|Olympics]] in [[Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2004]], [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2008]] and [[Football at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2024]], and at the [[FIFA Women's World Cup|Women's World Cup]] in [[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup|2007]].

Brazil will host the [[2027 FIFA Women's World Cup]].

==Brazilian football in television==
[[Association football|Football]] is broadcast in television in the following channels:

===Free television===
* [[Rede Globo]] — [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A]], [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série B]], [[Copa do Brasil]], [[Supercopa do Brasil]], [[Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior]], [[Copa América]], [[FIFA World Cup]], [[FIFA Women's World Cup]], [[FIFA Club World Cup]], [[UEFA European Championship|UEFA Euro]], [[FIFA World Cup qualification|FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)]], [[Campeonato Paulista]], [[Campeonato Mineiro]], [[Campeonato Gaúcho]], [[Campeonato Catarinense]], [[Campeonato Pernambucano]], [[Campeonato Goiano]], [[Campeonato Mato-Grossense]].
* [[Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão|SBT]] — [[Copa Libertadores]], [[Copa do Nordeste]], [[Campeonato Paranaense]], [[Campeonato Piauiense]], [[UEFA Champions League]] .
* [[RecordTV]] / [[Record News]] — [[Campeonato Carioca]], [[Campeonato Sergipano]].
* [[Rede Bandeirantes|Band]] — [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série C]], [[Campeonato Brasileiro Feminino]], [[Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-20|Campeonato Brasileiro U-20]], [[Copa do Brasil Sub-20|Copa do Brasil U-20]], [[Serie A]], [[Bundesliga]], [[DFL-Supercup]], [[Russian Premier League]], [[Campeonato Alagoano]], [[Campeonato Potiguar]].
* [[TV Cultura]] — [[Copa Verde]], [[Campeonato Paraense]].
* [[TV Brasil]] — [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série D]], [[Copa Verde]].
* [[TVE Bahia]] — [[Campeonato Baiano]].
* [[Facebook Watch]] ([[Streaming]]) — [[Copa Libertadores]], [[UEFA Champions League]], [[UEFA Super Cup]].
* [[YouTube]] ([[Streaming]]) — [[UEFA Nations League]], [[Copa do Nordeste]], [[Campeonato Carioca]], [[Campeonato Baiano]].
* [[Onefootball|OneFootball]] ([[Streaming]]) — [[Bundesliga]], [[2. Bundesliga]], [[Ligue 1]], [[Austrian Bundesliga]], [[UEFA Champions League|UEFA Champions League qualifying]], [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Europa League qualifying]].

===Paid television===
* [[SporTV]] — [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A]], [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série B]], [[Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-20|Campeonato Brasileiro U-20]], [[Copa do Brasil]], [[Copa do Brasil Sub-20|Copa do Brasil U-20]], [[Copa do Brasil Sub-17|Copa do Brasil U-17]], [[Supercopa do Brasil]], [[Florida Cup (soccer)|Florida Cup]], [[Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior]], [[Taça Belo Horizonte de Juniores|Taça BH]], [[Serie A]], [[Taça de Portugal]], [[Copa América]], [[South American Youth Football Championship|U-20 South American Championship]], [[FIFA World Cup]], [[FIFA Women's World Cup]], [[FIFA U-20 World Cup]], [[FIFA U-17 World Cup]], [[FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup]], [[FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup]], [[FIFA Club World Cup]], [[UEFA European Championship|UEFA Euro]], [[FIFA World Cup qualification|FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)]], [[Campeonato Paulista]], [[Campeonato Paulista Série A2]], [[Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Feminino]], [[Campeonato Mineiro]], [[Campeonato Gaúcho]], [[Campeonato Pernambucano]].
* [[ESPN]] / [[ESPN Brasil]] — [[Campeonato Brasileiro Feminino]], [[UEFA Europa League]], [[UEFA Women's Champions League]], [[La Liga]], [[Copa del Rey]], [[Supercopa de España]], [[Copa de la Reina de Fútbol|Copa de la Reina]], [[Supercopa de España Femenina]], [[Premier League]], [[EFL Championship]], [[EFL Cup]], [[Women's FA Community Shield]], [[DFB-Pokal]], [[Eredivisie]], [[Primeira Liga]], [[Chinese Super League]], [[J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship]], [[Major League Soccer]], [[U.S. Open Cup]], [[Audi Cup]], [[Joan Gamper Trophy]], [[UEFA Champions League|UEFA Champions League qualifying]].
* [[Fox Sports (Brazil)|Fox Sports Brasil]] – [[UEFA Europa League]], [[Copa Libertadores]], [[Coupe de France]], [[Copa do Nordeste]], [[Premier League]], [[EFL Championship]], [[La Liga]], [[DFB-Pokal]], [[Primeira Liga]], [[Eredivisie]], [[Chinese Super League]].
* [[TNT Sports (Argentina)|TNT Sports]] ([[Turner Network Television|TNT]] / [[Space (Latin American TV channel)|Space]]) — [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A]], [[UEFA Champions League]], [[Serie A]], [[UEFA Nations League]], [[UEFA European Championship qualifying|UEFA Euro qualifying]].
* [[BandSports]] — [[Serie A]], [[Russian Premier League]], [[FIFA World Cup qualification|FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)]], [[Copa Paulista]].
* [[Premiere FC|Premiere]] ([[Pay-per-view]]) — [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A]], [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série B]], [[Copa do Brasil]], [[Campeonato Paulista]], [[Campeonato Mineiro]], [[Campeonato Gaúcho]], [[Campeonato Pernambucano]].
* [[Conmebol TV]] ([[Pay-per-view]]) — [[Copa Libertadores]], [[Copa Sudamericana]], [[Recopa Sudamericana]].
* [[FERJ TV]] ([[Pay-per-view]]) — [[Campeonato Carioca]].
* [[Copa do Nordeste]] ([[Pay-per-view]]) — [[Copa do Nordeste]].
* [[DAZN]] ([[Streaming]]) — [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série C]], [[Premier League]], [[FA Cup]], [[FA Community Shield]], [[Coppa Italia]], [[Supercoppa Italiana]], [[Süper Lig]], [[Major League Soccer]], [[Liga MX]], [[Africa Cup of Nations]], [[CONCACAF Gold Cup]].
* [[TNT Sports (Argentina)|Estádio TNT Sports]] ([[Streaming]]) — [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A]], [[UEFA Champions League]], [[Serie A]], [[UEFA Nations League]], [[FIFA World Cup qualification|FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)]], [[FIFA World Cup qualification|FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)]], [[UEFA European Championship qualifying|UEFA Euro qualifying]].
* [[PlayPlus]] / [[R7.com]] ([[Streaming]]) — [[Campeonato Carioca]].
* [[Nordeste FC]] ([[Streaming]]) — [[Copa do Nordeste]], [[Campeonato Cearense]].
* [[Paulistão Play]] ([[Streaming]]) — [[Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior]], [[Campeonato Paulista Série A2]], [[Campeonato Paulista Série A3]], [[Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão]], [[Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Feminino]], [[Copa Paulista]]
* [[TV Walter Abrahão]] — [[Campeonato Catarinense]].

==League system==
Brazilian football clubs are affiliate to their state federations and state federations are themselves federate to [[Brazilian Football Confederation]].
As such, each state has its own league pyramid (see [[Brazilian Football State Championship|State Championships]]), [[Campeonato Paulista]] (the oldest and most traditional), [[Campeonato Carioca]], [[Campeonato Mineiro]], [[Campeonato Gaúcho]] being the most prominent.

There's a parallel federal pyramid. That means each club plays its state championships and only some biggest clubs play on the federal championships. Those two systems run in parallel there's no direct rank or relegation-promotion from one to the other besides state federations being responsible for appointing one to four clubs each to form each year [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série D]]. Each state set its own rule for those appointments but it's usually done through best position of the clubs on the top state tier that does not play any federal league or by a qualifying tournament, e.g. [[Copa Paulista]] is a tournament to select the fourth qualified from [[São Paulo (state)]] to Série D.
{{main|Brazilian football league system}}
The federal system is composed of four tiers:
* [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A]] - 20 clubs (relegates 4 to Série B)
* [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série B]] - 20 clubs (relegates 4 to Série C, promotes 4 to Série A)
* [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série C]] - 20 clubs (relegates 4 to Série D, promotes 4 to Série B)
* [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série D]] - 64 clubs (promotes 4 to Série C, other 60 demised). Despite the 4 relegated from last year Série C, all other 60 spots are designated by state federations by their own criteria.
State top tiers run from January to April and federal leagues from May to December, so clubs on federal leagues can handle their state schedule without conflict. Lower state tiers run from February to November.

Although uncommon it's possible for a 'big' club to be relegated to its state second-tier league while still playing a federal league. It happened for instance to [[Criciúma Esporte Clube|Criciúma]] who was relegated to 2022 [[Campeonato Catarinense Série B]], the second-tier league on [[Santa Catarina (state)|Santa Catarina]] pyramid, while still playing [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série B]]. They resolved the problem of schedule conflict fielding a junior team in 2022 Campeonasto Catarinense Série B. Many of the states championships have their own promotion/relegation system.

== Largest Brazilian football stadiums ==

Stadiums with a capacity of 40,000 or higher are included.
{{row counter|{| class{{=}}"wikitable sortable"
!#!!Stadium!!Capacity!!City!!State!!Tenants!!Image
|-
| _row_count||[[Maracanã Stadium|Maracanã]]|| align{{=}}"center" |73,193<ref name="Bid27Bra">{{cite book |title=The Brazilian Bid for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 |date=8 December 2023 |publisher=FIFA |url=https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/7dad0d3009710ee7/original/The-Brazilian-Bid-Book-FIFA-Women-s-World-Cup-2027.pdf |access-date=2 January 2024}}</ref>||[[Rio de Janeiro]]||[[Rio de Janeiro (state)|Rio de Janeiro]]||[[CR Flamengo|Flamengo]], [[Fluminense FC|Fluminense]]
|[[File:Maracanã (21093504141).jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha|Mané Garrincha]]|| align{{=}}"center" |69,910<ref name="Bid27Bra" />||[[Brasília]]||[[Federal District (Brazil)|Federal District]]||[[Brasília Futebol Clube|Brasília FC]]
|[[File:Estádio Nacional Brasília.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Mineirão]]|| align{{=}}"center" |66,658<ref name="Bid27Bra" />||[[Belo Horizonte]]||[[Minas Gerais]]||[[Cruzeiro Esporte Clube|Cruzeiro]]
|[[File:CRI ENG 24 06 2014 9667.JPG|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Estádio do Morumbi|Morumbi]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saopaulofc.net/estrutura/morumbi/sobre-o-morumbi |title=Sobre o Morumbi |website=São Paulo FC |access-date=28 May 2023 |language=pt |archive-date=June 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603002350/http://www.saopaulofc.net/estrutura/morumbi/sobre-o-morumbi |url-status=dead }}</ref>|| align{{=}}"center" |66,435||[[São Paulo]]||[[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]]||[[São Paulo FC]]
|[[File:Bandeira independente Morumbi.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Estádio do Arruda|Arruda]]||align{{=}}center|60,044||[[Recife]]||[[Pernambuco]]||[[Santa Cruz Futebol Clube|Santa Cruz]]
|[[File:Arruda em novembro de 2013.JPG|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Castelão (Ceará)|Arena Castelão]]|| align{{=}}"center" |57,876<ref name="Bid27Bra" />||[[Fortaleza]]||[[Ceará]]||[[Ceará Sporting Club|Ceará]], [[Fortaleza Esporte Clube|Fortaleza EC]]
|[[File:Castelão Arena (3).jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Estádio Parque do Sabiá|Parque do Sabiá]]|| align{{=}}"center" |56,450||[[Uberlândia]]||[[Minas Gerais]]||[[Uberlândia Esporte Clube|Uberlândia EC]]
|[[File:Estádio Parque do Sabiá.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Arena do Grêmio]]|| align{{=}}"center" |55,662||[[Porto Alegre]]||[[Rio Grande do Sul]]||[[Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense|Grêmio]]
|[[File:Arena do Grêmio.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Mangueirão]]|| align{{=}}"center" |53,635||[[Belém]]||[[Pará]]||[[Paysandu SC|Paysandu]], [[Clube do Remo]]||
|-
| _row_count||[[Estádio Beira-Rio|Beira-Rio]]|| align{{=}}"center" |49,055<ref name="Bid27Bra" />||[[Porto Alegre]]||[[Rio Grande do Sul]]||[[Sport Club Internacional|Internacional]]
|[[File:Beira-Rio-Stadium-Porto-Alegre-Brazil.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova|Arena Fonte Nova]]|| align{{=}}"center" |47,915<ref name="Bid27Bra" /><ref name="book">{{cite web |url=https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/1bc34aeb73cef6aa/original/qkputfh2wa3pebs0bnw7-pdf.pdf |title=Brazilian Woman Power: The Brazilian bid for FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™|publisher=Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF)|accessdate=28 January 2020 }}</ref>||[[Salvador, Bahia|Salvador]]||[[Bahia]]||[[EC Bahia]]
|[[File:Arena Fonte Nova 2020 03.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Arena Corinthians]]|| align{{=}}"center" |47,252<ref name="Bid27Bra" />||[[São Paulo]]||[[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]]||[[Sport Club Corinthians Paulista|Corinthians]]
|[[File:Corinthians x Grêmio - Brasileirão 2016.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Estádio Prudentão|Prudentão]]|| align{{=}}"center" |45,954||[[Presidente Prudente, São Paulo|Presidente Prudente]]||[[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]]||[[Grêmio Desportivo Prudente|Grêmio Prudente]]
|[[File:Derby Paulista (Corinthians-Palmeiras) Paulistão 2009.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Arena Pernambuco]]|| align{{=}}"center" |45,440<ref name="Bid27Bra" />||[[São Lourenço da Mata]]||[[Pernambuco]]||[[Retrô Futebol Clube Brasil|Retrô]]
|[[File:Panorama of Arena Pernambuco.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos|Nilton Santos]]|| align{{=}}"center" |45,000||[[Rio de Janeiro]]||[[Rio de Janeiro (state)|Rio de Janeiro]]||[[Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas|Botafogo]]
|[[File:Estádio Nilton Santos 2017.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Albertão]]|| align{{=}}"center" |44,200||[[Teresina]]||[[Piauí]]||[[Esporte Clube Flamengo|Flamengo-PI]], [[River Atlético Clube]]
|[[File:Interno do estádio Albertão Teresina.JPG|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Allianz Parque]]|| align{{=}}"center" |43,713||[[São Paulo]]||[[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]]||[[Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras|Palmeiras]]
|[[File:Palmeiras x Shandong Luneng - 2015.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Arena da Amazônia]]|| align{{=}}"center" |42,924<ref name="Bid27Bra" />||[[Manaus]]||[[Amazonas (Brazilian state)|Amazonas]]||[[Amazonas Futebol Clube|Amazonas]], [[Manaus Futebol Clube|Manaus FC]], [[Nacional Futebol Clube|Nacional]]
|[[File:Amazon Arena, Manaus, Brazil.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Arena Pantanal]]|| align{{=}}"center" |42,788<ref name="Bid27Bra" />||[[Cuiabá]]||[[Mato Grosso]]||[[Cuiabá Esporte Clube|Cuiabá EC]], [[Clube Esportivo Dom Bosco|Dom Bosco]]
|[[File:Arena Pantanal -018 (14880318398).jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Arena da Baixada]]|| align{{=}}"center" |42,372||[[Curitiba]]||[[Paraná (state)|Paraná]]||[[Athletico Paranaense]]
|[[File:Arena da Baixada in 2019.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Estádio Serra Dourada|Serra Dourada]]|| align{{=}}"center" |42,000||[[Goiânia]]||[[Goiás]]||
|
|-
| _row_count||[[Estádio Couto Pereira|Couto Pereira]]|| align{{=}}"center" |40,502||[[Curitiba]]||[[Paraná (state)|Paraná]]||[[Coritiba Foot Ball Club|Coritiba FC]]
|[[File:Estádio Couto Pereira.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Pacaembu Stadium|Pacaembu]]|| align{{=}}"center" |40,199||[[São Paulo]]||[[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]]||
|[[File:Estádio do Pacaembu, Sao Paulo 2017 024.jpg|150px]]
|-
| _row_count||[[Castelão (Maranhão)|Castelão]]|| align{{=}}"center" |40,149||[[São Luís, Maranhão|São Luís]]||[[Maranhão]]||[[Sampaio Corrêa Futebol Clube|Sampaio Corrêa]]
|[[File:Estádio Castelão em São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.jpg|150px]]
|-
|} }}

==See also==
* [[Archie McLean (footballer)|Archie McLean]]
* [[Charles William Miller]]
* [[Football in Rio de Janeiro]]
* [[Football in São Paulo]]
* [[List of football clubs in Brazil]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Football in Brazil}}
{{Seasons in Brazilian football}}
{{Sports in Brazil}}
{{Football in South America}}

[[Category:Football in Brazil| ]]