The Campeonato Carioca (Carioca Championship), officially known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro State Championship), also commonly known as the Cariocão, is the state football league of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is under the authority of the FERJ or FFERJ (Football Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro). It is an annual tournament, started in 1906.

Campeonato Carioca
Founded1906; 118 years ago (1906)
CountryBrazil
ConfederationFERJ
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toCampeonato Carioca Série A2
Domestic cup(s)Copa Rio
Current championsFluminense (33rd title)
(2023)
Most championshipsFlamengo (37 titles)
TV partnersRede Bandeirantes and BandSports (Broadcast)
YouTube, Twitch and Dale (OTT)
WebsiteFFERJ Official website
Current: 2024 Campeonato Carioca

The first season of the Campeonato Carioca was played in 1906. It was predated by: the Campeonato Paulista of São Paulo and the Campeonato Baiano of Bahia.

Rivalries amongst four of the most prestigious Brazilian teams (Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama) have marked the history of the competition.

The oldest clubs from Rio de Janeiro (America, Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense, São Cristóvão, Vasco da Gama) had inspired the creation of many clubs from other states.

Flamengo leads the title count with 37 championships, followed by Fluminense (33), Vasco da Gama (24), Botafogo (21), America (7), Bangu (2), São Cristóvão, and Paysandu (1 each).

History edit

The early years edit

The 20th century saw in Rio de Janeiro and Niterói a significant popularity in football with the establishment of clubs such as Rio Cricket and Athletic Association in Niterói, Fluminense Football Club in 1902, and Bangu Atlético Club, América Football Club, and Botafogo Football Club in 1904 being founded. Organizing leagues for competition amongst clubs followed by Rio Cricket and Athletic Association, Fluminense Football Club, Football and Athletic Club, America Football Club, Bangu Atlético Club, Sport Club Petrópolis and Payssandu Cricket Club. On June 8, 1905, the Liga Metropolitana de Football (abbreviated LMF, Metropolitan Football League in English) was founded. LMF's first president was Bangu's José Villas Boas, who was replaced by Francis Walter in December of the same year.

In 1906, the first Campeonato Carioca was contested by six clubs: Fluminense, Botafogo, Bangu, Football and Athletic, Payssandu and Rio Cricket. America, despite being one of the league founders, did not contest the league's first edition. Fluminense became the first Rio de Janeiro state champion.

In 1907, the championship ended with a tie between Botafogo and Fluminense. The league rules did not address ties. Botafogo claimed an extra-match advantage; Fluminense claimed that the league should adopt the goal-average criteria. It went unresolved until 1996 when both clubs were declared champions.

On February 29, 1908, Fluminense, Botafogo, America, Paysandu, Rio Cricket, and Riachuelo founded Liga Metropolitana de Sports Athleticos (LMSA, meaning Metropolitan Athletic Sports League), the organizer of the 1908 Campeonato Carioca. Fluminense won.

The splits of the league edit

AFRJ: the first split edit

The first league split was in 1911 when Botafogo left LMSA and founded Associação de Football do Rio de Janeiro (AFRJ - Rio de Janeiro Football Association). The league was nicknamed Liga Barbante (String League), because Botafogo was the only significant club to question the full realisation of the sport under LMSA. AFRJ was incorporated by LMSA in 1913.[clarification needed]

LMDT: 1917-1932 edit

In 1917, several accusations of bribery caused LMSA to rebrand as Liga Metropolitana de Desportos Terrestres (Terrestrial Sports Metropolitan League) (LMDT). Fluminense won the competition of that year.

AMEA: the second split edit

On March 1, 1924, a second league split occurred, and Associação Metropolitana de Esportes Athleticos (Athletic Sports Metropolitan Association) was founded. AMEA, founded by the "aristocratic" clubs Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo and America, with restrictions on its blacks and lower class citizens to their members. The Confederação Brasileira de Desportos (CBD - Brazilian Sports Confederation) remained with AMEA recognizing it as the official league of Rio de Janeiro from 1924 on, and disassociating with LMDT. AMEA's competition was won by Fluminense. LMDT's (The league was nicknamed Liga Barbante) (String League) competition was won by Vasco da Gama, the only significant club that remained on the old league. In 1925, AMEA rescinded its racial conditions and Vasco left LMDT, while LMDT continued with its minor clubs. Years later, the LMDT championship of 1924 was considered official - but not the following LMDT championships.[citation needed]

Professionalization and the union of the league edit

On January 23, 1933, Bangu, Fluminense, Vasco and America founded the first professional league of Rio de Janeiro, Liga Carioca de Futebol (LCF) (Carioca Football League). The Confederação Brasileira de Desportos was an amateur-only league supported AMEA. For this reason, LCF was nicknamed "pirate league". In 1934 CBD finally accepted professionalism, but LCF and AMEA did not merge for political reasons. On December 11, 1934, Botafogo, Vasco, Bangu, São Cristóvão, Andaraí, Olaria, Carioca and Madureira founded the professional Federação Metropolitana de Desportos (FMD) (Sports Metropolitan Federation), replacing AMEA as the official Rio de Janeiro league affiliated to CBD.

In 1937, the Brazilian football clubs were professionalized. On July 29, 1937, FMD and LCF merged, creating Liga de Football do Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro Football League), also called LFRJ. In 1941, LFRJ rebranded as Federação Metropolitana de Futebol (FMF) (Metropolitan Football Federation). The occasion was celebrated by a friendly match between Vasco da Gama and America that would come to be nicknamed Clássico da Paz (Peace Derby) for any game played between the two teams.

Federação Carioca de Futebol (FCF) edit

On April 21, 1960, the Brazilian capital city became Brasília, so, Federação Metropolitana de Futebol rebranded as Federação Carioca de Futebol (FCF) (Carioca Football Federation). América won the state championship of that year.

After 1975 edit

On March 15, 1975, Rio de Janeiro and Guanabara states merged under the name of Rio de Janeiro.

On September 29, 1978, Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro State Football Federation) (FERJ), was founded, after Guanabara state's FCF and Rio de Janeiro state's FFD (Federação Fluminense de Desportos, or Fluminense Sports Federation) fused.

In 1979, there was an extra Campeonato Carioca which also included the countryside state teams, which, until that year, contested the Campeonato Fluminense. This extra competition, known as Primeiro Campeonato Estadual de Profissionais (First Professionals State Championship) was won by Flamengo, which was also the champion of the regular competition, but did not count in the overall titles.

In 1996, Taça Cidade Maravilhosa was contested only by clubs from Rio de Janeiro city. This competition was contested by eight teams (America, Bangu, Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense, Madureira, Olaria and Vasco da Gama), which played against each other once. Botafogo was the champion, Flamengo being the runner up. In the same year, a state championship was played, won by Flamengo.

Format edit

The competition is usually divided in three stages: the traditional Taça Guanabara, Taça Rio and the Finals.

Taça Guanabara is the first stage of the competition, with the teams divided into two groups. The traditional "big four", namely, Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama are seeded—two teams of the "big four" put into each group. It is possible other teams also be seeded in some ways, but the seeding criteria are not codified in the regulation and has never been publicly available. The teams play one match with each team in their group. The top team in each group plays the second team in the semi-finals; the winners qualify for the final match.

Taça Rio is the second stage of the competition. Teams are divided into the two same groups of Taça Guanabara, but each team plays once against every team from the other group. The top team from each group compete in the semi-finals with the second team from the opposite group, and winners of the semi-finals compete for the Taça Rio.

The winners of Taça Guanabara and Taça Rio compete in the two-legged finals of Campeonato Carioca, with the winner champion.

Clubs edit

2023 First Division

Team City Ground 2022 result
Audax São João de Meriti Arthur Sendas 8th
Bangu Rio de Janeiro (Bangu) Moça Bonita 11th
Boavista Saquarema Elcyr Resende de Mendonça 10th
Botafogo Rio de Janeiro (Botafogo) Engenhão 4th
Flamengo Rio de Janeiro (Gávea) Maracanã 2nd
Fluminense Rio de Janeiro (Laranjeiras) Maracanã 1st
Madureira Rio de Janeiro (Madureira) Conselheiro Galvão 9th
Nova Iguaçu Nova Iguaçu Laranjão 6th
Portuguesa Rio de Janeiro (Ilha do Governador) Luso Brasileiro 7th
Resende FC Resende Estádio do Trabalhador 5th
Vasco da Gama Rio de Janeiro (Vasco da Gama) São Januário 3rd
Volta Redonda Volta Redonda Raulino de Oliveira 12th (relegated), 1st (Série A2)
Note

Champions and top scorers edit

Source: RSSSF Brasil

Amateur era edit

Season Winner Runner-up Comments Top Scorer Club Goals
1906 Fluminense (1) Paissandu Horácio da Costa Fluminense 18
1907 Botafogo(1)
Fluminense (2)
Paissandu both clubs were declared champions in 1996 Flávio Ramos Botafogo 6
1908 Fluminense (3) Botafogo
América
Edwin Cox Fluminense 12
1909 Fluminense (4) Botafogo Flávio Ramos Botafogo 18
1910 Botafogo (2) Fluminense Abelardo de Lamare Botafogo 22
1911 Fluminense (5) America James Calvert Fluminense 7
1912 Paissandu (1) Flamengo by LMSA, Liga Metropolitana de Sports Athleticos Harry Robinson Paissandu - LMSA 24
1912 Botafogo (3) SC Americano by AFRJ, Associação de Football do Rio de Janeiro - recognized later as an official championship Mimi Sodré Botafogo - AFRJ 12
1913 America (1) Flamengo Mimi Sodré Botafogo 13
1914 Flamengo (1) Botafogo Barthô Fluminense 10
1915 Flamengo (2) Fluminense Henry Welfare Fluminense 19
1916 America (2) Botafogo Aluízio Botafogo 12
1917 Fluminense (6) America Luís Menezes Botafogo 16
1918 Fluminense (7) Botafogo Luís Menezes Botafogo 21
1919 Fluminense (8) Flamengo Braz de Oliveira São Cristóvão 24
1920 Flamengo (3) Fluminense Arlindo
Claudionor
Botafogo
Bangu
18
1921 Flamengo (4) America Cecy Vila Isabel [pt] 15
1922 America (3) Flamengo Braz de Oliveira Carioca [pt] 15
1923 Vasco da Gama (1) Flamengo Nonô Flamengo 17
1924 Fluminense (9) Flamengo by AMEA, Associação Metropolitana de Esportes Athleticos Nilo Fluminense 28
1924 Vasco da Gama (2) Bonsucesso by LMDT, Liga Metropolitana de Desportos Terrestres - recognized later as an official championship Telê Andarahy [pt] - LMDT 17
1925 Flamengo (5) Fluminense Nonô Flamengo 27
1926 São Cristóvão (1) Vasco da Gama Vicente São Cristóvão 25
1927 Flamengo (6) Fluminense Nilo Botafogo 30
1928 América (4) Vasco da Gama Vicente São Cristóvão 21
1929 Vasco da Gama (3) America Russinho
Telê
Vasco
América
23
1930 Botafogo (4) Vasco da Gama Preguinho
Ladislau
Fluminense
Bangu
20
1931 America (5) Vasco da Gama Russinho Vasco 17
1932 Botafogo (5) Flamengo Preguinho Fluminense 21
1933 Botafogo (6) Olaria by AMEA, Associação Metropolitana de Esportes Athleticos Nilo Botafogo 19
1934 Botafogo (7) Andarahy by AMEA, Associação Metropolitana de Esportes Athleticos Bianco Andarahy [pt] - AMEA 13

Professional era edit

Season Winner Runner-up Comments Top Scorer Club Goals
1933 Bangu (1) Fluminense by LCF, Liga Carioca de Futebol - recognized later as an official championship Tião Bangu 13
1934 Vasco da Gama (4) São Cristóvão by LCF, Liga Carioca de Futebol - recognized later as an official championship Alfredinho Flamengo 10
1935 Botafogo (8) Vasco da Gama by FMD, Federação Metropolitana de Desportos Ladislau Bangu 18
1935 America (6) Fluminense by LCF, Liga Carioca de Futebol - recognized later as an official championship China Bonsucesso 16
1936 Vasco da Gama (5) Madureira by FMD, Federação Metropolitana de Desportos Carvalho Leite Botafogo 15
1936 Fluminense (10) Flamengo by LCF, Liga Carioca de Futebol - recognized later as an official championship Hércules Fluminense 23
1937 Fluminense (11) Flamengo Niginho Vasco 25
1938 Fluminense (12) Flamengo Carvalho Leite Botafogo 16
1939 Flamengo (7) Vasco da Gama Carvalho Leite Botafogo 22
1940 Fluminense (13) Flamengo Leônidas Flamengo 30
1941 Fluminense (14) Flamengo Pirilo Flamengo 39
1942 Flamengo (8) Botafogo Heleno Botafogo 28
1943 Flamengo (9) Fluminense João Pinto São Cristóvão 26
1944 Flamengo (10) Vasco da Gama Geraldino Canto do Rio 19
1945 Vasco da Gama (6) Botafogo Lelé Vasco 13
1946 Fluminense (15) Botafogo Rodrigues Fluminense 28
1947 Vasco da Gama (7) Botafogo Dimas Vasco 18
1948 Botafogo (9) Vasco da Gama Orlando
Octávio
Fluminense
Botafogo
21
1949 Vasco da Gama (8) Fluminense Ademir Vasco 31
1950 Vasco da Gama (9) America Ademir Vasco 25
1951 Fluminense (16) Bangu Carlyle Fluminense 23
1952 Vasco da Gama (10) Flamengo Menezes
Zizinho
Bangu 19
1953 Flamengo (11) Fluminense Benítez Flamengo 22
1954 Flamengo (12) America Dino da Costa Botafogo 24
1955 Flamengo (13) America Paulinho Flamengo 23
1956 Vasco da Gama (11) Fluminense Valdo Fluminense 22
1957 Botafogo (10) Fluminense Paulo Valentim Botafogo 22
1958 Vasco da Gama (12) Flamengo Quarentinha Botafogo 20
1959 Fluminense (17) Botafogo Quarentinha Botafogo 25
1960 America (7) Fluminense Quarentinha Botafogo 25
1961 Botafogo (11) Flamengo Amarildo Botafogo 18
1962 Botafogo (12) Flamengo Saulzinho Vasco 18
1963 Flamengo (14) Fluminense Bianchini Bangu 18
1964 Fluminense (18) Bangu Amoroso Fluminense 19
1965 Flamengo (15) Bangu Amoroso Fluminense 10
1966 Bangu (2) Flamengo Paulo Borges Bangu 16
1967 Botafogo (13) Bangu Paulo Borges Bangu 13
1968 Botafogo (14) Vasco da Gama Roberto Botafogo 13
1969 Fluminense (19) Botafogo Flávio Fluminense 15
1970 Vasco da Gama (13) Fluminense Flávio Fluminense 18
1971 Fluminense (20) Botafogo Paulo César Caju Botafogo 11
1972 Flamengo (16) Fluminense Doval Flamengo 16
1973 Fluminense (21) Vasco da Gama Dario Flamengo 15
1974 Flamengo (17) Vasco da Gama Luisinho Tombo America 20
1975 Fluminense (22) Botafogo
Vasco da Gama
Zico Flamengo 30
1976 Fluminense (23) Vasco da Gama Doval Fluminense 20
1977 Vasco da Gama (14) Flamengo Zico Flamengo 27
1978 Flamengo (18) Vasco da Gama Zico
Cláudio Adão
Roberto Dinamite
Flamengo
Flamengo
Vasco
19
1979 Flamengo (19) Fluminense Zico Flamengo 26
1979 Flamengo (20) Vasco da Gama extra tournament Zico Flamengo 34
1980 Fluminense (24) Vasco da Gama Cláudio Adão Fluminense 20
1981 Flamengo (21) Vasco da Gama Roberto Dinamite Vasco 31
1982 Vasco da Gama (15) Flamengo Zico Flamengo 21
1983 Fluminense (25) Flamengo Luisinho Tombo America 22
1984 Fluminense (26) Flamengo Baltazar
Cláudio Adão
Botafogo
Bangu
12
1985 Fluminense (27) Bangu Roberto Dinamite Vasco 12
1986 Flamengo (22) Vasco da Gama Romário Vasco 20
1987 Vasco da Gama (16) Flamengo Romário Vasco 16
1988 Vasco da Gama (17) Flamengo Bebeto Flamengo 17
1989 Botafogo (15) Flamengo Bebeto Flamengo 18
1990 Botafogo (16) Vasco da Gama Gaúcho Flamengo 14
1991 Flamengo (23) Fluminense Gaúcho Flamengo 17
1992 Vasco da Gama (18) Flamengo Ézio Fluminense 15
1993 Vasco da Gama (19) Fluminense Valdir Vasco 19
1994 Vasco da Gama (20) Flamengo Charles
Túlio
Flamengo
Botafogo
14
1995 Fluminense (28) Flamengo Túlio Botafogo 27
1996 Flamengo (24) Vasco da Gama Romário Flamengo 26
1997 Botafogo (17) Vasco da Gama Romário Flamengo 18
1998 Vasco da Gama (21) Flamengo Romário Flamengo 10
1999 Flamengo (25) Vasco da Gama Romário Flamengo 16
2000 Flamengo (26) Vasco da Gama Romário Vasco 19
2001 Flamengo (27) Vasco da Gama Edílson Flamengo 16
2002 Fluminense (29) Americano It was sub judice until April 14, 2009, when Fluminense were officially confirmed as the champions.[1] Fábio Volta Redonda 16
2003 Vasco da Gama (22) Fluminense Fábio Bala Fluminense 10
2004 Flamengo (28) Vasco da Gama Valdir Vasco 14
2005 Fluminense (30) Volta Redonda Túlio Volta Redonda 12
2006 Botafogo (18) Madureira Dodô Botafogo 9
2007 Flamengo (29) Botafogo Dodô
Marcelo
Botafogo
Madureira
13
2008 Flamengo (30) Botafogo Wellington Paulista Botafogo 14
2009 Flamengo (31) Botafogo Maicosuel Botafogo 12
2010 Botafogo (19) Flamengo Vágner Love Flamengo 15
2011 Flamengo (32) Fluminense Fred Fluminense 10
2012 Fluminense (31) Botafogo Alecsandro Vasco 12
2013 Botafogo (20) Flamengo Hernane Flamengo 12
2014 Flamengo (33) Vasco Edmilson Vasco 11
2015 Vasco da Gama (23) Botafogo Fred Fluminense 11
2016 Vasco da Gama (24) Botafogo Tiago Amaral Volta Redonda 10
2017 Flamengo (34) Fluminense Paolo Guerrero Flamengo 10
2018 Botafogo (21) Vasco da Gama Pipico Macaé 6
2019 Flamengo (35) Vasco da Gama Bruno Henrique Flamengo 8
2020 Flamengo (36) Fluminense Gabriel Barbosa
João Carlos
Flamengo
Volta Redonda
8
2021 Flamengo (37) Fluminense Alef Manga Volta Redonda 9
2022 Fluminense (32) Flamengo Gabriel Barbosa Flamengo 9
2023 Fluminense (33) Flamengo German Cano Fluminense 16


Flamengo 2024

Titles by team edit

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years
Flamengo
37
33
1914, 1915, 1920, 1921, 1925, 1927, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1963, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1978, 1979 (Especial), 1979, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021
Fluminense 33 23 1906, 1907 (shared), 1908, 1909, 1911, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1924 (AMEA), 1936 (LCF), 1937 (LFRJ), 1938, 1940, 1941, 1946, 1951, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1995, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2022, 2023
Vasco da Gama
24
25
1923, 1924 (LMDT), 1929, 1934 (LCF), 1936 (FMD), 1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1956, 1958, 1970, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2003, 2015, 2016
Botafogo
21
20
1907 (shared), 1910, 1912 (AFRJ), 1930, 1932, 1933 (AMEA), 1934 (AMEA), 1935 (FMD), 1948, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2018
America
7
7
1913, 1916, 1922, 1928, 1931, 1935 (LCF), 1960
Bangu
2
6
1933 (LCF), 1966
São Cristóvão
1
1
1926
Paissandu
1
1
1912 (LMSA)

Participation edit

Most appearances edit

As of 2024 season

Below is the list of clubs that have more appearances in the Campeonato Carioca.

Club App First Last
Botafogo 120 1906 2024
Fluminense 120 1906 2024
Flamengo 114 1912 2024
America 109 1908 2021
Bangu 109 1906 2024
Vasco da Gama 105 1921 2024
Madureira 81 1924 2024
São Cristóvão 73 1912 1995
Bonsucesso 65 1924 2018
Olaria 65 1924 2013
Portuguesa 51 1933 2024
Volta Redonda 45 1976 2024
Americano 40 1976 2021
Campo Grande 31 1924 1995

Topscorers edit

The 25 top score for team of the history of the Campeonato Carioca, all Brazilian, except the English Henry Welfare:

  • 284 goals: Roberto Dinamite (Vasco da Gama)
  • 239 goals: Zico (Flamengo)
  • 233 goals: Romário (Vasco, Flamengo e Fluminense)
  • 197 goals: Ademir de Menezes (Vasco e Fluminense)
  • 196 goals: Nilo (Botafogo, Brasil e Fluminense)
  • 172 goals: Ladislau (Bangu e Canto do Rio)
  • 166 goals: Carvalho Leite (Botafogo)
  • 164 goals: Russinho (Andarahy, Vasco e Botafogo)
  • 156 goals: Luisinho Lemos (America, Flamengo, Botafogo e Americano)
  • 153 goals: Zizinho (Flamengo e Bangu)
  • 151 goals: Sylvio Pirillo (Flamengo e Botafogo)
  • 149 goals: Quarentinha (Botafogo e Bonsucesso)
  • 133 goals: Heleno de Freitas (Botafogo e Vasco)
  • 125 goals: Leônidas da Silva (Syrio e Libanez, Bonsucesso, Flamengo e Botafogo)
  • 123 goals: Henry Welfare (Fluminense)
  • 118 goals: Didi (Madureira, Fluminense e Botafogo)
  • 114 goals: Pinga (Vasco)
  • 112 goals: Cláudio Adão (Flamengo, Fluminense, Vasco, Bangu, Campo Grande e Volta Redonda)
  • 105 goals: Perácio (Botafogo, Flamengo e Canto do Rio)
  • 105 goals: Plácido (Bangu e America)
  • 102 goals: Orlando Pingo de Ouro (Fluminense e Botafogo)
  • 102 goals: Waldo (Fluminense)
  • 100 goals: Preguinho (Fluminense)
  • 99 goals: Chico (Vasco da Gama)
  • 98 goals: Bebeto (Flamengo, Vasco e Botafogo)
  • 96 goals: Hércules (Fluminense)
  • Paysandu Cricket Club abandoned football activities in 1914. Nowadays it is called Paissandu Atlético Clube, and it is a social club only.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Fluminense é confirmado como campeão carioca de 2002" (in Portuguese). Terra. April 14, 2009. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
  • MÉRCIO, Roberto. A História dos Campeonatos Cariocas de Futebol. Rio de Janeiro: Ed. FERJ.

External links edit