Campeonato Paulista Série A3


Campeonato Paulista Série A3 is the third level of the São Paulo state professional football championship, one of the Brazilian state championships.
The tournament has been known as Série A3 since the 1994 season.
At present, Grêmio Osasco hold the longest tenure in Paulistão A3, last being out of the division in the 2014 season. There are currently two former Brasileirão Série A clubs competing in Série A3, namely Noroeste and Comercial, as well as 2005 Copa do Brasil winners Paulista de Jundiaí.

Structure

The current format of the Paulistão A3 was introduced in 2018, after the number of teams was decreased from 20 to 16. Two teams are promoted to Série A2, and the bottom two teams are relegated to Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão.

First stage

Each of the 16 competitors in the play each other team once in the first stage of the competition, for a total of 15 matches between mid January and early April. A win earns three points and a draw earns one point. Teams are ranked by total points, then by total wins and finally by goal difference, number of scored goals, smaller number of yellow cards taken and smaller number of red cards taken. If teams are still level, a random draw is made to determine the final order in the standings. The 15th and 16th-placed teams are relegated to the state league fourth division.

Knockout phase

The top 8 teams from the first stage qualify for the knockout phase. The knock-out ties are played in a two-legged format. The eight teams are seeded 1 to 8 according to their first stage table positions, The top seed team plays the eight-seeded, the second plays the seventh, the third plays the sixth and the fourth plays the fifth. The winning teams are then reseeded, taking into account their quarterfinals results.
In the semifinals, the highest-seeded team plays the lowest, and the other two winners from the previous round play each other. The winners of those contests win promotion to the Campeonato Paulista Série A2 and go on to face one another in the finals, which are also played in a two-legged format.

Current members

The following 16 clubs competed in Série A3 during the 2020 season.
ClubFinishing position last seasonLocationStadiumCapacity
Barretos3rdBarretosFortaleza9,710
Batatais12thBatataisOsvaldo Scatena7,040
Capivariano6thCapivariToca do Leão 6,424
Comercial7thRibeirão PretoPalma Travassos18,277
Desportivo Brasil4thPorto FelizErnesto Rocco6,160
EC São Bernardo10thSão Bernardo do Campo1º de Maio12,578
Grêmio Osasco13thOsascoPrefeito José Liberatti12,158
Linense16th in Série A2 LinsGilbertão7,348
Marília2nd in Segunda Divisão MaríliaBento de Abreu15,587
Nacional15th in Série A2 São Paulo Comendador Souza10,117
Noroeste8thBauruAlfredo de Castilho15,420
Olímpia14thOlímpiaMaria Tereza Breda6,912
Paulista1st in Segunda Divisão JundiaíJayme Cintra12,690
Primavera9thIndaiatubaÍtalo Limongi6,914
Rio Preto11thSão José do Rio PretoAnísio Haddad16,145
Velo Clube5thRio ClaroBenitão10,317

Teams promoted from Série A3

Relegated teams

SeasonClubs
1994Tanabi, Independente de Limeira, EC São Bernardo
1995Barretos, Central Pinhalense
1996Monte Azul, Taquaritinga, Marília
1997Fernandópolis
1998none
1999Taquaritinga, Mauaense
2000Ferroviária, Corinthians de Presidente Prudente
2001none
2002Garça, União Mogi
2003Paraguaçuense, Ferroviária
2004Sãocarlense, Inter de Bebedouro
2005Taboão da Serra, ECUS, Jaboticabal
2006Itararé, São Vicente, Barretos, Matonense
2007EC Osasco, Primavera, Mauaense, Araçatuba
2008Taubaté, SEV-Hortolândia, Independente de Limeira, Santacruzense
2009Oeste Paulista, Inter de Limeira, Nacional, União Mogi
2010Força, Portuguesa Santista, Olímpia, Bandeirante
2011Paulínia, SC Barueri, Taquaritinga, Lemense
2012Inter de Bebedouro, XV de Jaú, Osvaldo Cruz, Taboão da Serra
2013São Vicente, Palmeiras B, Barretos, União São João
2014São Carlos, América de Rio Preto, Noroeste, Guaçuano
2015Cotia FC, Tupã, Santacruzense, Francana
2016São José, Itapirense, Guaratinguetá, Primavera, Fernandópolis, Grêmio Barueri
2017Comercial, São José dos Campos FC, Paulista, Flamengo de Guarulhos, Independente de Limeira, Catanduvense
2018Rio Branco, Marília, União Barbarense, Manthiqueira, Matonense, Mogi Mirim
2019Taboão da Serra, São Carlos

São Bento were saved from relegation due to the withdrawal of Novorizontino in the 2nd level.
No teams were relegated due to the 2002 Torneio Rio-São Paulo.

Top scorers

List of champions

Amateur era

3 titles