Foto: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

Brazilian League explained: What you need to know about Brazil’s top football competition

Foto: Rafael Ribeiro / CBF

With the Brasileirão paused for the Club World Cup, global eyes turn to Brazilian football’s domestic engine.

The 2025 edition of the Brazilian League (Brasileirão), Brazil’s premier football competition, began on March 29 and will run until December 21. Now, the league is temporarily paused due to the FIFA Club World Cup, held from June 15 to July 13. A clear sign of how Brazilian teams have become central protagonists on the global stage.

The domestic league, widely known as the Brazilian League, follows a familiar and intense round-robin format, where 20 clubs face each other twice, home and away, across 38 matchdays. It’s a marathon that demands consistency, depth, and tactical sharpness.

Brazilian League: Points, Passion, and Pressure

Each club plays 19 matches per turn, testing their mettle at home and on the road. The team with the most points at the end is crowned champion. Conversely, the bottom four teams are relegated to Série B for the 2026 season.

The 2025 season features:

Atlético-MG
Bahia
Botafogo
Bragantino
Ceará
Corinthians
Cruzeiro
Flamengo
Fluminense
Fortaleza
Grêmio
Internacional
Juventude
Mirassol
Palmeiras
Santos
São Paulo
Sport
Vasco
Vitória

With Botafogo defending the crown after a historic 2024 campaign, and many clubs battling on international fronts, the expectations are sky-high.

Tiebreaker rules and what’s at stake

Every goal can tip the scale. In case of teams finishing with the same points, the following tiebreakers apply:

Number of wins
Goal difference
Goals scored
Head-to-head (for two teams only)
Fewer red cards
Fewer yellow cards
Drawing of lots

The top six teams qualify for the Copa Libertadores, with the top four going directly to the group stage. The next six best-placed teams, excluding Libertadores qualifiers, enter the Copa Sudamericana.

Right now, the domestic league may be paused, but Brazil’s reputation is in full swing:

Palmeiras leads Group A of the Club World Cup;
Botafogo tops Group B after stunning PSG;
Flamengo is the first team through to the knockouts after winning against Chelsea;
Fluminense plays its second match tonight (21) against Ulsan HD, after drawing with Borussia Dortmund.

Where to watch the FIFA Club World Cup matches?

DAZN has announced that it will broadcast all matches of the FIFA Club World Cup for free. To follow the Brazilian teams and the entire competition, simply click this link and sign up completely free of charge.

Botafogo

Brasileirão

Brazilian League

Campeonato Brasileiro

Flamengo

Fluminense

Palmeiras

Lívia Galvão

soccer

Jornalista em formação diretamente de Niterói-RJ. Busca juntar o que mais ama: comunicação e esporte. É grande torcedora do Fluminense e da McLaren, além de apaixonada por futebol nacional desde pequena. Encantou-se com diversas categorias do automobilismo e, hoje, não sabe viver sem os roncos dos carros. Uma grande entusiasta do multilinguismo e viajante pelo mundo.