the apea had ceased operations in 1938, and after several name changes, the original bandeirante football league officially became the federação paulista de futebol (paulista football federation), [fpf] on april 22, 1941. são paulo signed leonidas da silva in the following year and won five of the next eight championships. palestra itália change its name to palmeiras in 1943 due to a world war ii period law that banned axis powers's references in sport. football grows within the state and a second division is created in 1948, allowing upstate teams to take part in major league competition. xv de novembro from piracicaba was the first team promoted to the top flight.