Ana M. López
Research expert covering travel, tourism and hospitality
Soccer in Brazil – statistics & facts
Jogo bonito is a nickname believed to be given to soccer by the most successful Brazilian player, Pelé, back in the 50s. Directly translated as ‘beautiful game’, the name reflects Brazil's beloved sentiments for the sport. Soccer – also known as football – is the most followed sport in this South American country and a source of national pride. In the history of the most important soccer tournament, the FIFA World Cup Championship, Brazil is yet to be beaten based on the number of titles won: five in total. The national team – commonly referred to as Seleção – first emerged on the global stage as an unrivaled powerhouse during Pelé’s times. It has since become renowned for decades of top games and star players like Garrincha, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Sócrates, Careca, and Zico, among many others. In more recent years, however, a Seleção had some struggles. Its final position in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was the lowest since 1990.
A broad soccer landscape – beyond the field
Since its introduction by the Scottish in the late 19th century and its global premiere at the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930, soccer for Brazilians has been more than just a sport. For some, its global notoriety represents economic opportunities. Each year, more than one thousand Brazilian footballers played professionally abroad. Additionally, the sport provides a sense of community for others.Brasileirão: Brazil’s most important soccer tournament
The Campeonato Brasileiro – Série A – commonly known as Brasileirão – is a successor of Taça Brasil, the first nationwide tournament played in the country; and the Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa/Taça de Prata, played between 1967 and 1970. Nowadays, Brasileirão is the most important national soccer championship of the country’s first league, though not the only one. The other tournaments in which clubs of the highest men’s professional league compete are the Copa do Brasil and the Supercopa do Brasil, which has only been played seven times as of February 2024. In all of Brasileirão’s history, the soccer club Palmeiras has won the most titles, accumulating 12 in total.The Brazilian Football Confederation
The Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) governs professional soccer in Brazil since its establishment in 1914. However, soccer became its sole responsibility in 1979, when it also took its current name. Before that year, this body promoted and directed different professional sports in the country, including Olympic sports. After the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the CBF has recovered from the harsh economic effects. In 2022, the total revenue of the confederation surpassed one billion Brazilian reals. However, the net income was not as high as in 2019.
