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.

Copyright.sk © 2024

State	Team	City	Qualification criteria
Acre	Rio Branco	Rio Branco	2008 State Championship 1st Stage winners
Alagoas	CSA	Maceió	2008 State Championship winners
	ASA	Arapiraca	2008 State Championship runners-up
Amapá	Cristal	Macapá	2007 State Championship runners-up1
Amazonas	Holanda	Rio Preto da Eva	2008 State Championship winners
	Fast Clube	Manaus	2008 State Championship runners-up
Bahia	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
Ceará	Icasa	Juazeiro do Norte	2008 State Championship 1st Stage winners
	Horizonte	Horizonte	2008 State Championship 2nd Stage runners-up
Distrito Federal	Dom Pedro II	Guará	Best record in 2008 Metropolitan Championship
	Legião	Brasília	2nd best record in 2008 Metropolitan Championship
Espírito Santo	Serra	Serra	2008 State Championship winners
	Linhares	Linhares	2008 State Championship 3rd place2
Goiás	Itumbiara	Itumbiara	2008 State Championship
	Atlético Goianiense	Goiânia	2nd best record in 2008 State Championship
	Anápolis	Anápolis	3rd best record in 2008 State Championship
Maranhão	Bacabal	Bacabal	2008 City of São Luís Trophy winners
	Sampaio Corrêa	São Luís	2008 City of São Luís Trophy runners-up
Mato Grosso	Mixto	Cuiabá	2008 State Championship winners
	Luverdense	Lucas do Rio Verde	2008 Governor's Cup winners
Mato Grosso do Sul	Águia Negra	Rio Brilhante	2008 State Championship Group A winners
	Operário	Campo Grande	2008 State Championship Group B winners
Minas Gerais	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
Pará	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
Paraíba	Campinense	Campina Grande	2008 State Championship winners
	Treze	Campina Grande	2008 State Championship runners-up
Paraná	Toledo	Toledo	Best record in 2008 State Championship
	Engenheiro Beltrão	Engenheiro Beltrão	2nd Best record in 2008 State Championship
	J. Malucelli	Curitiba	2007 Copa Paraná winners
Pernambuco	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
Piauí	Barras	Barras	2008 State Championship winners
	Picos	Picos	2008 State Championship runners-up
Rio de Janeiro	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
Rio Grande do Norte	Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz	2008 State Championship 1st Stage runners-up
	Potiguar	Mossoró	2008 State Championship 2nd Stage winners
Rio Grande do Sul	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
Rondônia	It will not have representative6
Roraima	Progresso	Mucajaí	2008 State Championship 1st Stage winners
São Paulo	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