In 2008, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, the third division of the Brazilian League, was contested by 64 clubs, four of which qualified to the Série B. For the second time in history, Atlético Goianiense were crowned Série C champions. Following them, former Série A champions Guarani were also promoted, along with Campinense and Duque de Caxias. The new, revamped 20-club round robin Série C in 2009, will be contested by the clubs which finished from 5th to 20th this season, plus the four relegated from Série B 2008.

Competition format

First stage The 64 teams play in 16 groups of four. Within each group, the four teams play a double round robin, i.e. they play each other in home and away matches, totalling six matchdays. The two best ranked teams in each group qualify to the Second Stage.

Second stage The 32 teams qualified from the First Stage play in eight groups of four. Within each group, the four teams play a double round robin, i.e. they play each other in home and away matches, totalling six matchdays. The two best ranked teams in each group qualify to the Third Stage.

Third stage The 16 teams qualified from the Second Stage play in four groups of four. Within each group, the four teams play a double round robin, i.e. they play each other in home and away matches, totalling six matchdays. The two best ranked teams in each group qualify to the Final Stage.

Final stage The eight teams qualified from the Third Stage are put together in a single group. They play a double round robin, i.e. they play each other in home and away matches, totalling fourteen matchdays. The four best ranked teams are automatically promoted to the Série B in 2009.

Teams Sorted by state. Each state federation has its own criteria to indicate a club to this tournament. Only teams which do not take place in Série A and Série B are being considered.

State Team City Qualification criteria Rio Branco Rio Branco 2008 State Championship 1st Stage winners CSA Maceió 2008 State Championship winners ASA Arapiraca 2008 State Championship runners-up Cristal Macapá 2007 State Championship runners-up1 Holanda Rio Preto da Eva 2008 State Championship winners Fast Clube Manaus 2008 State Championship runners-up Vitória da Conquista V. da Conquista Best record in 2008 State Championship 1st Stage Itabuna Itabuna 2nd best record in 2008 State Championship 1st Stage Atlético Alagoinhas 3rd best record in 2008 State Championship 1st Stage Icasa Juazeiro do Norte 2008 State Championship 1st Stage winners Horizonte Horizonte 2008 State Championship 2nd Stage runners-up Dom Pedro II Guará Best record in 2008 Metropolitan Championship Legião Brasília 2nd best record in 2008 Metropolitan Championship Serra Serra 2008 State Championship winners Linhares Linhares 2008 State Championship 3rd place2 Itumbiara Itumbiara 2008 State Championship Atlético Goianiense Goiânia 2nd best record in 2008 State Championship Anápolis Anápolis 3rd best record in 2008 State Championship Bacabal Bacabal 2008 City of São Luís Trophy winners Sampaio Corrêa São Luís 2008 City of São Luís Trophy runners-up Mixto Cuiabá 2008 State Championship winners Luverdense Lucas do Rio Verde 2008 Governor's Cup winners Águia Negra Rio Brilhante 2008 State Championship Group A winners Operário Campo Grande 2008 State Championship Group B winners Tupi Juiz de Fora Best record in 2008 State Championship Ituiutaba Ituiutaba 2nd best record in 2008 State Championship América Mineiro Belo Horizonte 2007 Taça Minas Gerais 3rd place3 Águia de Marabá Marabá 2008 State Championship 1st Stage winners Paysandu Belém 2008 State Championship 2nd Stage winners Remo Belém Relegated from Série B 2007 Campinense Campina Grande 2008 State Championship winners Treze Campina Grande 2008 State Championship runners-up Toledo Toledo Best record in 2008 State ChampionshipEngenheiro Beltrão Engenheiro Beltrão 2nd Best record in 2008 State Championship J. Malucelli Curitiba 2007 Copa Paraná winners Central Caruaru Best record in 2008 State Championship Salgueiro Salgueiro 2nd best record in 2008 State Championship Petrolina4 Petrolina 5th best record in 2008 State Championship Santa Cruz Recife Relegated from Série B 2007 Barras Barras 2008 State Championship winners Picos Picos 2008 State Championship runners-up Madureira Rio de Janeiro Best record in 2008 State Championship Boavista Saquarema 2nd best record in 2008 State Championship Macaé Macaé 3rd best record in 2008 State Championship Duque de Caxias Duque de Caxias 2007 Copa Rio 6th Place Santa Cruz Santa Cruz 2008 State Championship 1st Stage runners-up Potiguar Mossoró 2008 State Championship 2nd Stage winners Internacional Santa Maria Best record in 2008 State Championship Caxias Caxias do Sul 2nd best record in 2008 State Championship Brasil Pelotas 2007 Copa FGF runners-up5 It will not have representative6 Progresso Mucajaí 2008 State Championship 1st Stage winners Guaratinguetá Guaratinguetá Best record in 2008 State Championship Mirassol Mirassol 2nd best record in 2008 State Championship Noroeste Bauru 3rd best record in 2008 State Championship Guarani Campinas 4th best record in 2008 State Championship Linense Lins 2007 Copa FPF winners Paulista Jundiaí Relegated from Série B 2007 Ituano Itu Relegated from Série B 2007 Metropolitano Blumenau Best record in 2008 State Championship Marcílio Dias Itajaí 2007 Copa Santa Catarina winners Confiança Aracaju 2008 State Championship winners Sergipe Aracaju 2008 State Championship runners-up Palmas Palmas 2007 State Championship winners 1 State Championship winners Trem withdrew. 2 State Championship runners-up Rio Bananal withdrew. 3 2007 Taça Minas Gerais champions Ituiutaba and runners-up Tupi qualified via Campeonato Mineiro. 4 Ypiranga withdrew.Petrolina enters in place of Ypiranga in Série C 5 2007 Copa FGF winners Caxias qualified via Campeonato Gaúcho. 6 Ulbra withdrew and no other team was interested in the vacancy.

Results

First stage Group 1 (AC-AM-MT)

Group 2 (AP-AM-PA-RR)

Group 3 (MA-PA-TO)

Group 4 (CE-MA-PI)

Group 5 (PB-PE-RN)

Group 6 (CE-PB-PE-RN)

Group 7 (AL-BA-PE-SE)

Group 8 (AL-BA-SE)

Group 9 (GO-MT-MS)

Group 10 (DF-GO)

Group 11 (ES-MG-RJ-SP)

Group 12 (ES-RJ-SP)

Group 13 (MG-SP)

Group 14 (RJ-SP)

Group 15 (PR-RS-SC)

Group 16 (PR-RS-SC)

Second stage Group 17 (AC-AM-MT-PA)

Group 18 (MA-PA-PI)

Group 19 (CE-PB-PI)

Group 20 (AL-BA-SE)

Group 21 (DF-GO-MT)

Group 22 (MG-RJ-SP)

Group 23 (MG-SP)

Group 24 (PR-RS-SC)

Third stage Group 25 (AC-MT-PA)

Group 26 (AL-PB-PE-SE)

Group 27 (GO-MT-RJ-SP)

Group 28 (MG-RS-SC-SP)

Final stage (AC-GO-PA-PB-RJ-RS-SP-SE)

Qualification to Série C 2009 In 2009, Série C will have a new format and the number of teams will be reduced from 64 to only 20 clubs. Teams finished from 5th to 20th are qualified to next season, meanwhile the ones finished from the 21st-place will have to qualify via state competitions to play Série D in 2009.

See also Série A 2008 Série B 2008 Copa do Brasil 2008

References

External links Official site - Classification Official site - Games