The 1968 Campeonato Gaúcho was the 48th season of Rio Grande do Sul's top association football league. Grêmio won their 19th title. The league expanded to eighteen teams: the twelve clubs from last season were joined by six teams from last year's Promotion Tournament. It is unknown how these six teams were chosen: Ypiranga, São Paulo, Santa Cruz and São José were among the championship's top six teams, but Cruzeiro and Flamengo were eliminated in the first stage.
Format
The championship's format changed for the first time since 1961 due to its expansion, not without controversy. The league was divided in three stages, as follows:
Preliminary stage: clubs were divided in two groups of nine teams each, playing a single round-robin against same group teams. The bottom two advanced to the relegation tournament while the top seven clubs played another single round-robin against each other maintaining their previous results. Relegation tournament: the four clubs faced each other in a double-robin where the bottom two were relegated. Octagonal: each group's top four faced each other in a double round-robin, where the best club was crowned champions.
Teams
Club Location Titles Last season Aimoré São Leopoldo 11th Brasil Pelotas 6th Cruzeiro Porto Alegre Eliminated at earlier stages (Second Division) Farroupilha Pelotas 3rd Flamengo Caxias do Sul Eliminated at earlier stages (Second Division) Gaúcho Passo Fundo 5th Grêmio Porto Alegre 1st Guarany Bagé 4th Internacional Porto Alegre 2nd Juventude Caxias do Sul 7th Novo Hamburgo Novo Hamburgo 12th Pelotas Pelotas 9th Rio Grande Rio Grande 10th Riograndense Rio Grande 8th Santa Cruz Santa Cruz do Sul 3rd (Second Division) São José Porto Alegre 5th (Second Division) São Paulo Rio Grande 2nd (Second Division) Ypiranga Erechim 1st (Second Division) A. Caxias was known as Flamengo until 1971. B. Novo Hamburgo changed back to its original name, being known as Floriano since 1942.
Preliminary stage
Group A
Group B
Octagonal
Relegation tournament
The results of five games are unknown.
References