1981 in Brazilian football
The following article presents a summary of the 1981 football season in Brazil, which was the 80th season of competitive football in the country.
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
QuarterfinalsCampeonato Brasileiro Série B
SemifinalsPromotion
The first placed team in each one of the four groups in the second stage, which were Bahia, Náutico, Palmeiras and Uberaba, were promoted to the same season's first level's second stage.Campeonato Brasileiro Série C
Semifinal Group ASemifinal Group B
Final
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Olaria declared as the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C champions by aggregate score of 4-1.
State championship champions
Youth competition champions
Other competition champions
Brazilian clubs in international competitions
Brazil national team
The following table lists all the games played by the Brazil national football team in official competitions and friendly matches during 1981.| Date | Opposition | Result | Score | Brazil scorers | Competition |
| January 4, 1981 | D | 1-1 | Edevaldo | Mundialito | |
| January 7, 1981 | W | 4-1 | Júnior, Toninho Cerezo, Serginho Chulapa, Zé Sérgio | Mundialito | |
| January 10, 1981 | L | 1-2 | Sócrates | Mundialito | |
| February 1, 1981 | D | 1-1 | Serginho Chulapa | International Friendly | |
| February 8, 1981 | W | 1-0 | Zico | World Cup Qualifying | |
| February 14, 1981 | W | 6-0 | Reinaldo, Sócrates, Landeta, Zico | International Friendly | |
| February 22, 1981 | W | 2-1 | Sócrates, Reinaldo | World Cup Qualifying | |
| March 14, 1981 | W | 2-1 | Zico, Reinaldo | International Friendly | |
| March 22, 1981 | W | 3-1 | Zico | World Cup Qualifying | |
| March 29, 1981 | W | 5-0 | Tita, Sócrates, Zico, Júnior | World Cup Qualifying | |
| May 12, 1981 | W | 1-0 | Zico | International Friendly | |
| May 15, 1981 | W | 3-1 | Zico, Reinaldo, Sócrates | International Friendly | |
| May 19, 1981 | W | 2-1 | Toninho Cerezo, Júnior | International Friendly | |
| July 8, 1981 | W | 1-0 | Baltazar | International Friendly | |
| July 26, 1981 | D | 0-0 | - | International Friendly | |
| September 23, 1981 |  League of Ireland XI | W | 6-0 | Éder, Roberto Cearense, Zico | Exhibition game |
| October 28, 1981 | W | 3-0 | Roberto Dinamite, Zico, Leandro | International Friendly |