The competition started on January 17, 1981 in its new season and ended on May 3, 1981. The championship was organized by the national association CBF . At the end of the season, the Gremio Porto Alegre celebrated his first title.
The 38 best teams in the state championships were initially selected as participants. The round was completed with the best two teams from Serie B in 1980. Furthermore, the best four teams from Taça de Prata (second division) in 1981 were added, but they did not take part until the second round of the competition.
The decisions between places six to eight and between nine and tenth were not made on the basis of the goal difference, but on the basis of a direct comparison between the teams.
In addition to the directly qualified teams and the qualifiers from the elimination round, the four participants from Taça de Prata 1981 complete the field: EC Bahia , Náutico Capibaribe , Palmeiras São Paulo , Uberaba SC .
After a tie back and forth between the CR Vasco da Gama and the AA Ponte Preta , the AA Ponte Preta moved into the semi-finals due to the better performance in the round of 16.
After a tie back and forth in both semi-finals, São Paulo FC and Grêmio FBPA reached the semi-finals due to their better performance in the quarter-finals.
The table only served to determine the placement of the individual teams in the season. It is made up of all the games played. In the sorting, reaching the respective final phase has priority over the points scored. The games from the elimination round were not taken into account.
1: 1 Paulo Isidoro (55th) 
Uchoa
Serginho Chulapa (88.)