Big Twelve (Brazilian football)

Honours and popularity

The Big Twelve's status as major clubs originated from their historical dominance in state leagues, as national tournaments were absent for a long time. Competition between states was limited, with the Torneio Rio-São Paulo being the most notable cross-state tournament. This regional success later translated into national and international prominence, with the Big Twelve dominating the Brasileirão and Copa do Brasil, and achieving success in the Copa Libertadores and FIFA Club World Cup. They are also the most supported clubs in Brazil, with fans found nationwide, often surpassing local clubs even outside their home states.

Controversies

The validity of the Big Twelve concept is often debated. It is sometimes portrayed as a rigid construct that excludes teams deserving a place, or as an outdated definition that includes clubs no longer meriting inclusion. Bahia, from Salvador, Bahia, is one of the two major clubs from the Campeonato Baiano and the only non-Big Twelve club with two Brasileirão titles, tied with Grêmio, notably beating Pelé and Os Santásticos in the 1959 final. Its fanbase size competes with Fluminense and Botafogo and is ahead of any non-Big Twelve club.

Bahia was a founding member of Clube dos 13 alongside the Big Twelve. Prior to its first relegation in 1997, it was considered one of Brazil's biggest clubs, but its Brasileirão campaigns have been generally unimpressive since the 1980s, and it spent much of the 2000s outside the first division. Bahia was relegated in 1997 and returned to the top tier in 2000 via a political maneuver after the CBF withdrew from organizing that year's championship due to legal problems, handing it to Clube dos 13, as the club had failed to achieve promotion in 1998 and 1999.

It was again relegated to Série B in 2003 and to Série C in 2005, its low point. After two seasons in Série C, it achieved its first promotion in 2007 to Série B, and in 2010 was promoted to the Brasileirão. Bahia was relegated in 2014 but returned after two seasons in 2017. The club also lags behind Big Twelve clubs in financial assets.