Season 2017 | Location Brazil | |
The Serie A of 2017 is the 61st season of the Série A, the top level of professional football in Brazil, and the 14th edition in a double round-robin since its establishment in 2003. The top six teams will qualify to Copa Libertadores and the last four will be relegated to Série B in 2018.
Contents
Palmeiras come in as the defending champions having won the title in the last season.
Format
For the fifteenth consecutive season, the tournament is being played in a double round-robin system. The team with most number of points at the end of the season will be declared the champion. The bottom four teams will be relegated and will be playing in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B in the 2018 season.
International qualification
The Série A will serve as a qualifier to CONMEBOL's 2018 Copa Libertadores. The top-three teams in the standings will qualify to the Second Stage of the competition, while from the fourth to sixth place in the standings will qualify to the First Stage.
And this change also impacts on the Copa Sudamericana, whose vacancies are again to be distributed in the stockmarket not more by Copa do Brasil.
Tiebreakers
In case of a tie on points between two or more clubs, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- Number of wins;
- Goal difference;
- Goals pro;
- Head to Head;
- Fewer red cards;
- Less number of yellow cards;
- Draw.
With respect to the fourth criterion (direct confrontation), it is considered the result of the combined game, or the result of 180 minutes. Staying tie, the tie will be made by the greatest number of goals scored in the opponent's field. The fourth criterion is not considered in the case of a tie between more than two clubs.
Teams
Twenty teams will compete in the league – the top sixteen teams from the previous season, as well as four teams promoted from the Série B.
Atlético Goianiense became the first club to be promoted after a 5–3 win against Tupi MG on 12 November 2016 meant they were guaranteed an automatic place. Avaí became the second club to be promoted, Vasco da Gama became the third club to be promoted, and Bahia became the fourth club to be promoted
Foreign players
The clubs can have a maximum of five foreign players in their Campeonato Brasileiro squads.
Results
Source: CBF
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.