A top-tier state competition
The Campeonato Mineiro is the leading professional football competition for clubs in Minas Gerais. Organized by the Minas Gerais Football Federation (FMF), its Módulo I is the state’s top division. The tournament brings together teams from across the state and forms part of Brazil’s football structure, which includes both state championships and national competitions.
The competition predates the creation of a Brazilian national league. The first tournament recognized by the FMF as a state championship was held in 1915, when it was called the Campeonato da Cidade and included clubs from municipalities near Belo Horizonte. A separate competition in the Juiz de Fora region began in 1918. The leagues joined for an exceptional tournament in 1933, which included clubs from the interior, but split again the following year. It was not until 1958 that the championship permanently brought together clubs from different parts of the state.
Format, promotion and relegation
The format can vary from one edition to the next. In 2026, Módulo I had 12 teams: clubs that had stayed up after the 2025 season and teams promoted from Módulo II. In the first stage, the teams were divided into three groups of four but played opponents from the other groups. The three group winners and the best runner-up overall qualified for the semifinals, which were played over two legs. The final was a single match; if a semifinal was tied on aggregate, the winner was decided by a penalty shootout.
The division system comprises Módulo I, Módulo II and the Second Division. The two teams with the worst overall records in the 2026 Módulo I were relegated to Módulo II. The state championship therefore combines the title race with promotion and relegation between divisions.
Clubs and historical importance
Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro are the competition’s most successful clubs. Atlético has won 50 titles, while Cruzeiro reached 39 by winning the 2026 edition, ending its rival’s run of six consecutive championships. América Mineiro is another long-established Belo Horizonte club. The opening of Mineirão in the state capital in 1966 marked an important shift in local football: Cruzeiro rose to prominence during the so-called Mineirão Era, alongside the established rivalry between Atlético and América.
The championship has also been a stage for players who later became well known in Brazilian football. The names cited include Reinaldo, Cerezo, Éder, Ronaldo, Dario and Tostão. Its significance, then, goes beyond deciding the state champion: the competition helps structure club football in Minas Gerais and has a history tied to the development of talent and rivalries among teams from the state.