form of an "internal promotion". As such the overall number of participants was theoretically even superior to 1979, as any of the 104 teams of both divisions could clinch the title. First division: 40 teams First phase: 4 groups of 10. Round-robin. Top 7 qualify. Second phase: 32 teams ( with 4 teams promoted from second division's second phase). 8 groups of 4 teams. Double round-robin. Top 2 qualified Third phase: 4 groups of 4 teams. Single round-robin. Top team qualified. Final phase: Double semi-finals and final play-offs. Second division: 64 teams First division: 8 groups of 8. Top team qualified for second phase, remaining 2 qualified directly to third phase. Second phase: 8 teams in double play-offs to determine the 4 teams promoted to first division's second phase. Defeated teams would rejoin third phase. Third phase: 4 groups of 5. Round robin. Top team qualified Final phase: double semi-finals and final play-offs. Ranking issues: given the limit of 48 points for the yearly ranking, are considered here the 40 teams of first division, the 4 promoted teams and second division's final 4 top teams. Promoted teams are ranked higher than first division teams eliminated from first phase. Given this, the top 32 placings do not take into account first phase results from both divisions, contrarily to CBF. 1981–1990 1981 Taça de Ouro The 1981 tournament reapplied the concepts of 1980 with two internal divisions, with for the first time promotion from second division (Londrina and CSA). Despite these teams being the second division finalists, they arguably were not the top second division teams as none had participated the second phase play-offs. The 4 teams promoted during the 1980 second phase nominally with better placing than these two finalists were not re-promoted (as they could not play the second division finals while the 4 other teams they had beaten had rejoined the third phase but still none did make into the finals also). Two of these 4 teams didn't participate at all as they did not qualify from their state league performance (América-SP and Americano-RJ). First division: 40 teams 1st phase: 4 groups of 10, round-robin, top 7 qualify. 2nd phase: 4 groups of 8 (4 teams promoted from second division's second phase), round robin, top 2 qualify Final phase: 16-team double play-offs with home and draw advantage on better season record. Second division: 48 teams 1st phase: 6 groups