In the first stage the twenty teams are drawn, with seeding, into four groups of five teams each, with each team playing once against the fifteen clubs from the other three groups. After each team has played fifteen matches, the top two teams of each group qualify for the quarter-final stage.
After the completion of the first stage, the six clubs with the lowest number of points, regardless of the group, will be relegated to the Campeonato Paulista Série A2.
If the four clubs with the lowest number of points are from the same group, the best third-placed club from the other groups will qualify for the quarter-final stage.
Quarter-finals and semi-finals are played in a single match, with the best placed first stage team playing at home. The finals are played in a two-legged home and away fixture, with the best placed first stage team playing the second leg at home.
In case of a draw in any knockout stage, the match will be decided by a penalty shoot-out.
Tiebreakers
The teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings:
Updated to match(es) played on 8 May 2016. Source: Soccerway.com Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd wins; 3rd goal difference; 4th goals scored; 5th head-to-head results; 6th least red cards received; 7th least yellow cards received; 8th draw. (B) Qualification for the Campeonato Brasileiro Série D; (C) Champions; (R) Relegated
