The 2021 Campeonato Brasileiro Série D was a football competition held in Brazil, equivalent to the fourth division. The competition began on 26 May and ended on 13 November 2021.
Sixty-eight teams competed in the tournament. Sixty-four teams qualified from their state leagues and cups, and four relegated from the 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série C (Boa Esporte, Imperatriz, São Bento and Treze).
The match Imperatriz v 4 de Julho, played at the Estádio Frei Epifânio D'Abadia (Imperatriz) on 28 August 2021 (Group A2 13th round), was finished in the 76th minute (0–0) after a strong storm caused the partial collapse of the grandstand roof located over the press booths and changing rooms of the teams and referees.
ABC, Aparecidense, Atlético Cearense and Campinense qualified for the semi-finals and were promoted to the 2022 Campeonato Brasileiro Série C.
In the finals, Aparecidense defeated Campinense 2–1 on aggregate to win their first title.
Teams
Federation ranking The number of teams from each state was chosen based on the CBF State Ranking. RankFederationCoeff.TeamsNotes1 São Paulo84,51642 Rio de Janeiro50,13433 Rio Grande do Sul45,1274 Minas Gerais40,5425 Paraná33,9276 Santa Catarina28,0947 Goiás21,3818 Ceará21,0849 Bahia20,52810 Pernambuco17,944211 Alagoas12,04012 Mato Grosso10,51013 Pará8,79014 Maranhão7,941155,92416 Paraíba5,44017 Sergipe4,66218 Acre3,29419 Amazonas2,75720 Piauí2,49121 Distrito Federal2,23722 Espírito Santo1,92123 Mato Grosso do Sul1,89524 Rondônia1,79025 Roraima1,76926 Tocantins1,64827 Amapá1,584
Participating teams Teams in italic played the preliminary stage. The teams were: FederationTeamHome cityQualification method AcreGalvezRio Branco2020 Campeonato Acriano championsAtlético AcreanoRio Branco2020 Campeonato Acriano runners-up AlagoasMuriciMurici2020 Campeonato Alagoano 3rd placeASAArapiraca2020 Copa Alagoas champions AmapáYpirangaMacapá2020 Campeonato Amapaense championsSantanaSantana2020 Campeonato Amapaense runners-up AmazonasPenarolItacoatiara2020 Campeonato Amazonense championsFast ClubeManaus2020 Campeonato Amazonense 3rd place BahiaAtlético de AlagoinhasAlagoinhas2020 Campeonato Baiano runners-upJuazeirenseJuazeiro2020 Campeonato Baiano 3rd placeBahia de FeiraFeira de Santana2020 Campeonato Baiano 6th place CearáGuarany de SobralSobral2020 Campeonato Cearense 4th placeAtlético CearenseFortaleza2020 Campeonato Cearense 5th placeCaucaiaCaucaia2020 Campeonato Cearense 6th place Espírito SantoRio Branco de Venda NovaVenda Nova do Imigrante2020 Campeonato Capixaba championsRio Branco-ESVitória2020 Campeonato Capixaba runners-up Federal DistrictGamaGama2020 Campeonato Brasiliense championsBrasilienseTaguatinga2020 Campeonato Brasiliense runners-up GoiásGoianésiaGoianésia2020 Campeonato Goiano runners-upJaraguáJaraguá2020 Campeonato Goiano 3rd placeAparecidenseAparecida de Goiânia2020 Campeonato Goiano 4th place MaranhãoMoto ClubSão Luís2020 Campeonato Maranhense runners-upJuventude SamasSão Mateus do Maranhão2020 Campeonato Maranhense 3rd placeImperatrizImperatriz2020 Série C Group A 10th place Mato GrossoNova MutumNova Mutum2020 Campeonato Mato-Grossense championsUnião RondonópolisRondonópolis2020 Campeonato Mato-Grossense runners-up Mato Grosso do SulÁguia NegraRio Brilhante2020 Campeonato Sul-Mato-Grossense championsAquidauanenseAquidauana2020 Campeonato Sul-Mato-Grossense runners-up Minas GeraisCaldensePoços de Caldas2020 Campeonato Mineiro 4th placeUberlândiaUberlândia2020 Campeonato Mineiro 5th placePatrocinensePatrocínio2020 Campeonato Mineiro 8th placeBoa EsporteVarginha2020 Série C Group B 10th place ParáCastanhalCastanhal2020 Campeonato Paraense 3rd placeParagominasParagominas2020 Campeonato Paraense 4th place ParaíbaCampinenseCampina Grande2020 Campeonato Paraibano runners-upSousaSousa2020 Campeonato Paraibano 4th placeTrezeCampina Grande2020 Série C Group A 9th place ParanáFC CascavelCascavel2020 Campeonato Paranaense 3rd placeCianorteCianorte2020 Campeonato Paranaense 4th placeRio Branco-PRParanaguá2020 Campeonato Paranaense 7th place PernambucoRetrôCamaragibe2020 Campeonato Pernambucano first stage 3rd placeCentralCaruaru2020 Campeonato Pernambucano first stage 5th place Piauí4 de JulhoPiripiri2020 Campeonato Piauiense championsPicosPicos2020 Campeonato Piauiense runners-up Rio de JaneiroBoavistaSaquarema2020 Campeonato Carioca 4th placeMadureiraRio de Janeiro2020 Campeonato Carioca 6th placeBanguRio de Janeiro2020 Campeonato Carioca 8th placeABCNatal2020 Campeonato Potiguar championsAmérica de NatalNatal2020 Campeonato Potiguar runners-up Rio Grande do SulCaxiasCaxias do Sul2020 Campeonato Gaúcho 3rd placeEsportivoBento Gonçalves2020 Campeonato Gaúcho 4th placeAimoréSão Leopoldo2020 Campeonato Gaúcho 7th place RondôniaPorto VelhoPorto Velho2020 Campeonato Rondoniense championsReal AriquemesAriquemes2020 Campeonato Rondoniense runners-up RoraimaSão RaimundoBoa Vista2020 Campeonato Roraimense championsGASCaracaraí2020 Campeonato Roraimense runners-up Santa CatarinaJuventusJaraguá do Sul2020 Campeonato Catarinense 4th placeMarcílio DiasItajaí2020 Campeonato Catarinense 7th placeJoinvilleJoinville2020 Campeonato Catarinense 8th place São PauloSanto AndréSanto André2020 Campeonato Paulista 7th placeFerroviáriaAraraquara2020 Campeonato Paulista 11th placeInter de LimeiraLimeira2020 Campeonato Paulista 12th placePortuguesaSão Paulo2020 Copa Paulista championsSão BentoSorocaba2020 Série C Group B 9th place SergipeSergipeAracaju2020 Campeonato Sergipano runners-upItabaianaItabaiana2020 Campeonato Sergipano 3rd place TocantinsPalmasPalmas2020 Campeonato Tocantinense championsTocantinópolisTocantinópolis2020 Campeonato Tocantinense runners-up
Competition format In the preliminary stage, eight teams from the worst ranked federations in the CBF ranking were drawn into four ties, with the winners of each tie advancing to the group stage. In the group stage, the remaining 60 teams and the 4 four teams qualified from the preliminary stage were divided into eight groups of eight organized regionally. Top four teams qualified for the round of 32. From the round of 32 on the competition was played as a knock-out tournament with each round contested over two legs.
Preliminary stage It was played from 26 to 30 May. The lowest-seeded teams from the eight worst ranked federations in the 2021 CBF ranking (Piauí, Distrito Federal, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rondônia, Roraima, Tocantins and Amapá) competed to decide four places in the group stage.
Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If tied on aggregate, the away goals rule would not be used, extra time would not be played, and the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winners (Regulations Article 18).
Matches
Group stage In the group stage, each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, the following criteria would be used to determine the ranking: 1. Wins; 2. Goal difference; 3. Goals scored; 4. Head-to-head (if the tie was only between two teams); 5. Fewest red cards; 6. Fewest yellow cards; 7. Draw in the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (Regulations Article 13).
The top four teams qualified for the round of 32.
Group A1
Group A2
Group A3
Group A4
Group A5
Group A6
Group A7
Group A8
Final stages The final stages were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. For the round of 16, semi-finals and finals, the best-overall-performance team hosted the second leg. If tied on aggregate, the away goals rule would not be used, extra time would not be played, and the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winners (Regulations Article 18).
For the quarter-finals, teams were seeded based on the table of results of all matches in the competition. The top four seeded teams played the second leg at home.
The four quarter-finals winners were promoted to 2022 Série C.
Round of 32 The round of 32 was a two-legged knockout tie, with the draw regionalised. The matches were played from 11 to 20 September.
Matches
Round of 16 The matches were played from 25 September to 3 October. Matches
Quarter-finals The draw for the quarter-finals was seeded based on the table of results of all matches in the competition (except preliminary stage matches) for the qualifying teams. The teams were ranked according to points. If tied on points, the following criteria would be used to determine the ranking: 1. Wins; 2. Goal difference; 3. Goals scored; 4. Fewest red cards; 5. Fewest yellow cards; 6. Draw in the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (Regulations Article 15).
Quarter-finals seedings Team 1 Ferroviária4112+21 2 ABC3611+20 3 Aparecidense3510+13 4 Campinense339+14 5 América de Natal329+10 6 Uberlândia308+8 7 Caxias277+6 8 Atlético Cearense267+3
Matches The matches were played from 9 to 17 October.
Semi-finals The matches were played from 23 to 31 October. Matches
Finals The matches were played on 6 and 13 November. Matches
Top goalscorers RankPlayerTeamGoals1Gabriel Santos Caldense132Ingro Uberlândia113Pecel Castanhal94Igor Bahia Murici8Michel CaxiasOlávio Atlético CearenseRaílson PenarolRobinho FC CascavelWallyson ABC10Alvinho América de Natal7Batista EsportivoErick Pulga Atlético CearenseGustavo Henrique ABCHeltinho União RondonópolisJackie Chan Fast ClubeLéo Itaperuna FC CascavelZé Eduardo Brasiliense
References