Nathan Fry Chestertown, Md. What is the deal with Brazilian club soccer? Do they have an actual league? In the World Scoreboard section of Soccer America I find the Rio de Janeiro Championship, the Sao Paulo Championship, the Copa Brazil, the Paulista Championship and the Carioca Championship. I can’t understand the difference between all of them. And where is Ronaldinho’s team Gremio? Do they compete in anything? Any light you could shed on the subject would help. Mike Woitalla: During the first half of the calendar year, Brazilian clubs compete for the championships of their respective states. There are 26 states. Gremio, of Porto Alegre, plays in the Rio Grande do Sul championship, known as the Gaucho league. In the second half of the year, the nationÆs best clubs compete in a national championship — a competition more in line with the rest of the worldÆs domestic league formats. It was inaugurated in 1971. The Copa Brasil, which coincides with the state championships, invites the state champions of the previous year, plus a few others. In addition, various states pair up their best teams for tournaments of their own, such as the Torneo Rio/Sao Paulo. HereÆs a list of the most recent winners of the major state championships: Carioca (Rio de Janeiro): Flamengo Paulista (Sao Paulo): Sao Paulo Mineiro (Minas Gerais): Atletico Mineiro Gaucho (Rio Grande do Sul): Caxias Baiano (Bahia): Vitoria (If you have a question for a Soccer America Magazine editor, click “Q&A with SA Editors” in the left column of the home page under “Interactive.”)