Understanding the Brasileirão Standings

The Brasileirão Série A, Brazil’s premier football league, features a competitive format where 20 teams battle for the championship title each year. The standings, or *classificação*, reflect a team’s performance throughout the season, determining not only the champion but also qualification for international tournaments and, unfortunately, relegation to Série B.

How Points are Awarded

The foundation of the Brasileirão standings lies in a simple points system:

• Win: 3 points are awarded to the winning team.
• Draw: 1 point is awarded to each team in the event of a draw.
• Loss: No points are awarded to the losing team.

Teams accumulate these points over the 38-match season (each team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away).

Ranking Tie-Breakers

Naturally, teams often finish the season with the same number of points. In these cases, a series of tie-breakers are applied, in a specific order, to determine the higher ranking:

1. Total Wins: The team with more wins throughout the season is ranked higher. This favors teams that consistently secure victories over those who frequently draw.
2. Goal Difference: This is calculated by subtracting the total number of goals conceded from the total number of goals scored. A positive goal difference indicates a team’s scoring superiority.
3. Goals Scored: If teams are still tied, the team with the higher number of goals scored throughout the season takes precedence. This rewards attacking prowess.
4. Head-to-Head Record: This considers the results of the matches played between the tied teams. The team with more points in those direct encounters is ranked higher.
5. Fewest Red Cards: Fair play is also considered. The team with the fewest red cards throughout the season gets preference.
6. Fewest Yellow Cards: Following red cards, the team with the fewest yellow cards gets preference.
7. Drawing of Lots: In the rare event that all previous tie-breakers fail to separate the teams, a drawing of lots (sorteio) is used as the final arbiter.

Significance of the Standings

The final Brasileirão standings have significant implications:

• Champion: The team at the top of the table is crowned the Brasileirão champion.
• Copa Libertadores Qualification: The top teams in the standings (typically the top six, but it can vary depending on other tournament outcomes) qualify directly for the prestigious Copa Libertadores, South America’s equivalent of the Champions League. Teams further down the table may qualify for the preliminary stages.
• Copa Sudamericana Qualification: Teams finishing in the mid-table positions qualify for the Copa Sudamericana, another continental competition.
• Relegation: The bottom four teams in the standings are relegated to Série B for the following season. This is a dreaded fate for any club.

The Brasileirão is known for its unpredictability and competitiveness. Understanding the standings and the tie-breaker rules is crucial for following the drama and excitement of Brazilian football.