1961 Campeonato Carioca
{{Infobox football league season
|competition = Campeonato Carioca
|season = 1961
|winners = Botafogo
|relegated =
|continentalcup1 = Taça Brasil
|continentalcup1 qualifiers = Botafogo
|continentalcup2 =
|continentalcup2 qualifiers =
|league topscorer = Amarildo (Botafogo) - 18 goals
|biggest home win = América 4-0 São Cristóvão (August 9, 1961)
Botafogo 4-0 São Cristóvão (August 20, 1961)
Flamengo 5-1 Olaria (October 4, 1961)
América 4-0 Flamengo (October 7, 1961)
Botafogo 4-0 Vasco da Gama (November 19, 19761)
|biggest away win = Madureira 0-4 Flamengo (August 6, 1961)
Portuguesa 2-6 Vasco da Gama (August 10, 1961)
|highest scoring = Portuguesa 2-6 Vasco da Gama (August 10, 1961)
|matches = 122
|total goals = 282
|longest wins =
|longest unbeaten =
|longest winless =
|longest losses =
|highest attendance =
|lowest attendance =
|prevseason = 1960
|nextseason = 1962
}}
The 1961 edition of the Campeonato Carioca kicked off on July 30, 1961 and ended on December 28, 1961. It was organized by FCF (Federação Carioca de Futebol, or Carioca Football Federation). Twelve teams participated. Botafogo won the title for the 11th time. no teams were relegated.{{cite web|url=http://www.rsssfbrasil.com/tablesr/rj1961.htm|title=RSSSF – Championship of Rio de Janeiro 1961|accessdate=May 28, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://futebolnacional.com.br/infobol/championship.jsp?code=DF83BCBB01EA36421A394125C1AE1B99&lang=pt_br|title=Futebolnacional.com.br – Championship of Rio de Janeiro 1961|accessdate=May 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107025118/http://www.futebolnacional.com.br/infobol/championship.jsp?code=DF83BCBB01EA36421A394125C1AE1B99&lang=pt_br|archive-date=November 7, 2017|url-status=dead}}
System
The tournament would be divided in two stages:
- First round: The twelve teams all played against each other in a single round-robin format. The eight best teams qualified to the Second round.
- Second round: The remaining eight teams all played in a double round-robin format against each other. The team with the most points in the sum of both stages won the title.
Championship
=First round=
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=September 24, 1961
|res_col_header=QR
|team4=BAN|name_BAN=Bangu
|team7=FLU|name_FLU=Fluminense
|team2=VAS|name_VAS=Vasco da Gama
|team1=BOT|name_BOT=Botafogo
|team3=FLA|name_FLA=Flamengo
|team5=AME|name_AME=América
|team11=BON|name_BON=Bonsucesso
|team9=POR|name_POR=Portuguesa
|team6=OLA|name_OLA=Olaria
|team8=SCR|name_SCR=São Cristóvão
|team12=MAD|name_MAD=Madureira
|team10=CTR|name_CTR=Canto do Rio
|win_CTR=3 |draw_CTR=3 |loss_CTR=5|gf_CTR=7|ga_CTR=13
|win_MAD=0 |draw_MAD=1 |loss_MAD=10|gf_MAD=5|ga_MAD=20
|win_SCR=4 |draw_SCR=3 |loss_SCR=4|gf_SCR=8|ga_SCR=13
|win_OLA=5|draw_OLA=2 |loss_OLA=4 |gf_OLA=10|ga_OLA=10
|win_POR=4|draw_POR=2 |loss_POR=5|gf_POR=14|ga_POR=15
|win_BON=2|draw_BON=2 |loss_BON=7|gf_BON=7|ga_BON=19
|win_BOT=7|draw_BOT=4 |loss_BOT=0 |gf_BOT=24|ga_BOT=8
|win_FLA=6|draw_FLA=2 |loss_FLA=3 |gf_FLA=22|ga_FLA=13
|win_AME=4|draw_AME=4 |loss_AME=3 |gf_AME=13|ga_AME=8
|win_BAN=4|draw_BAN=5 |loss_BAN=2 |gf_BAN=8|ga_BAN=7
|win_FLU=5|draw_FLU=2 |loss_FLU=4 |gf_FLU=13|ga_FLU=14
|win_VAS=5|draw_VAS=4 |loss_VAS=2 |gf_VAS=16|ga_VAS=7
|winpoints=2
|col_Q=green2|text_Q=Qualified
|result1=Q
|result2=Q
|result3=Q
|result4=Q
|result5=Q
|result6=Q
|result7=Q
|result8=Q
|class_rules=1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) wins; 4) number of goals scored.
|source=[http://www.rsssfbrasil.com/tablesr/rj1961.htm RSSSF.com]
}}
=Second round=
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=December 28, 1961
|res_col_header=QR
|team5=BAN|name_BAN=Bangu
|team3=FLU|name_FLU=Fluminense
|team4=VAS|name_VAS=Vasco da Gama
|team1=BOT|name_BOT=Botafogo
|team2=FLA|name_FLA=Flamengo
|team6=AME|name_AME=América
|team7=OLA|name_OLA=Olaria
|team8=SCR|name_SCR=São Cristóvão
|win_SCR=1 |draw_SCR=4 |loss_SCR=9|gf_SCR=6|ga_SCR=22
|win_OLA=3|draw_OLA=3 |loss_OLA=8 |gf_OLA=14|ga_OLA=24
|win_BOT=11|draw_BOT=2 |loss_BOT=1 |gf_BOT=30|ga_BOT=10
|win_FLA=6|draw_FLA=4 |loss_FLA=4 |gf_FLA=21|ga_FLA=16
|win_AME=4|draw_AME=2 |loss_AME=8 |gf_AME=14|ga_AME=17
|win_BAN=6|draw_BAN=3 |loss_BAN=5 |gf_BAN=18|ga_BAN=13
|win_FLU=5|draw_FLU=6 |loss_FLU=3 |gf_FLU=14|ga_FLU=14
|win_VAS=7|draw_VAS=2 |loss_VAS=5 |gf_VAS=18|ga_VAS=19
|winpoints=2
|class_rules=1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) wins; 4) number of goals scored.
|source=[http://www.rsssfbrasil.com/tablesr/rj1961.htm RSSSF.com]
}}
=Final standings=
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|update=December 28, 1961
|res_col_header=QR
|team5=BAN|name_BAN=Bangu
|team4=FLU|name_FLU=Fluminense
|team3=VAS|name_VAS=Vasco da Gama
|team1=BOT|name_BOT=Botafogo
|team2=FLA|name_FLA=Flamengo
|team6=AME|name_AME=América
|team11=BON|name_BON=Bonsucesso
|team9=POR|name_POR=Portuguesa
|team7=OLA|name_OLA=Olaria
|team8=SCR|name_SCR=São Cristóvão
|team12=MAD|name_MAD=Madureira
|team10=CTR|name_CTR=Canto do Rio
|win_CTR=3 |draw_CTR=3 |loss_CTR=5|gf_CTR=7|ga_CTR=13
|win_MAD=0 |draw_MAD=1 |loss_MAD=10|gf_MAD=5|ga_MAD=20
|win_SCR=5 |draw_SCR=7 |loss_SCR=13|gf_SCR=14|ga_SCR=35
|win_OLA=8|draw_OLA=5 |loss_OLA=12|gf_OLA=24|ga_OLA=34
|win_POR=4|draw_POR=2 |loss_POR=5|gf_POR=14|ga_POR=15
|win_BON=2|draw_BON=2 |loss_BON=7|gf_BON=7|ga_BON=19
|win_BOT=18|draw_BOT=6 |loss_BOT=1 |gf_BOT=54|ga_BOT=18
|win_FLA=12|draw_FLA=6 |loss_FLA=7 |gf_FLA=43|ga_FLA=29
|win_AME=8|draw_AME=6 |loss_AME=11|gf_AME=27|ga_AME=25
|win_BAN=10|draw_BAN=8 |loss_BAN=7 |gf_BAN=26|ga_BAN=20
|win_FLU=10|draw_FLU=8 |loss_FLU=7 |gf_FLU=27|ga_FLU=28
|win_VAS=12|draw_VAS=6 |loss_VAS=7 |gf_VAS=34|ga_VAS=26
|split8=yes
|winpoints=2
|col_Q=green1|text_Q=Champions
|result1=Q
|class_rules=1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) wins; 4) number of goals scored.
|source=[http://www.rsssfbrasil.com/tablesr/rj1961.htm RSSSF.com]
}}