2026 Copa Sudamericana final stages
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 Copa Sudamericana final stages are played from 21 July to 21 November 2026.[1] A total of 24 teams compete in the final stages to decide the champions of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana,[2] with the final to be played at Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla, Colombia.[3]
Qualified teams
The winners and runners-up of each of the eight groups in the Copa Sudamericana group stage as well as the third-placed teams of each of the eight groups in the Copa Libertadores group stage advanced to the final stages. The eight Copa Sudamericana group runners-up faced the eight Copa Libertadores group third-placed teams in the knockout round play-offs, whilst the eight Copa Sudamericana group winners directly advanced to the round of 16.
Copa Sudamericana group stage winners and runners-up
| Group | Winners | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| A |  Macará |
 Tigre |
| B |  Atlético Mineiro |
 Cienciano |
| C | São Paulo |
 O'Higgins |
| D |  Recoleta |
Santos |
| E | Botafogo |
 Caracas |
| F |  Montevideo City Torque |
Grêmio |
| G | Olimpia |
Vasco da Gama |
| H | River Plate |
Red Bull Bragantino |
Copa Libertadores group stage third-placed teams
| Group | Third-placed teams |
|---|---|
| A |  Independiente Medellín |
| B | Nacional |
| C |  Bolívar |
| D | Boca Juniors |
| E | Santa Fe |
| F | Sporting Cristal |
| G | Lanús |
| H | Universidad Central |
Seeding
For the final stages, the teams are seeded according to their results in the group stage, with the Copa Sudamericana group winners seeded 1–8, the Copa Sudamericana group runners-up seeded 9–16, and the Copa Libertadores group third-placed teams seeded 17–24. For the round of 16 draw, the seeds 1–8 made up Pot 1, and the eight knockout round play-offs winners (seeds 9–24) made up Pot 2, keeping their seed number. Teams from the same association may play each other from the knockout round play-offs onwards.
| Seed | Grp | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SE1 | Botafogo |
6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 5 | +10 | 16 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | SH1 | River Plate |
6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 14 | |
| 3 | SF1 | Montevideo City Torque |
6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 13 | |
| 4 | SG1 | Olimpia |
6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 13 | |
| 5 | SC1 | São Paulo |
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 12 | |
| 6 | SA1 | Macará |
6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 10 | |
| 7 | SB1 | Atlético Mineiro |
6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 10 | |
| 8 | SD1 | Recoleta |
6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 8 | |
| 9 | SF2 | Grêmio |
6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 11 | Play-off Match A |
| 10 | SH2 | Red Bull Bragantino |
6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 5 | +7 | 10 | Play-off Match B |
| 11 | SG2 | Vasco da Gama |
6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 10 | Play-off Match C |
| 12 | SC2 | O'Higgins |
6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 10 | Play-off Match D |
| 13 | SA2 | Tigre |
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 9 | Play-off Match E |
| 14 | SE2 | Caracas |
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | Play-off Match F |
| 15 | SB2 | Cienciano |
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 8 | Play-off Match G |
| 16 | SD2 | Santos |
6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 7 | Play-off Match H |
| 17 | LH | Universidad Central |
6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | −4 | 9 | Play-off Match H |
| 18 | LG | Lanús |
6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 9 | Play-off Match G |
| 19 | LE | Santa Fe |
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 8 | Play-off Match F |
| 20 | LB | Nacional |
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 8 | Play-off Match E |
| 21 | LD | Boca Juniors |
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 7 | Play-off Match D |
| 22 | LA | Independiente Medellín |
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 11 | −5 | 7 | Play-off Match C |
| 23 | LF | Sporting Cristal |
6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 9 | −3 | 6 | Play-off Match B |
| 24 | LC | Bolívar |
6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 5 | Play-off Match A |
Rules for classification: 1) Higher position in group; 2) Points; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Red cards; 6) Yellow cards; 7) Drawing of lots (Regulations Article 2.4.3).[2]
Format
Starting from the knockout round play-offs, the teams play a single-elimination tournament with the following rules:[2]
- In the knockout round play-offs, round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, each tie is played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, with the higher-seeded team hosting the second leg (Regulations Article 2.2.3). If tied on aggregate, extra time will not be played, and a penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the winners (Regulations Article 2.4.4).
- The final is played as a single match at a venue pre-selected by CONMEBOL, with the higher-seeded team designated as the "home" team for administrative purposes (Regulations Article 2.2.6). If tied after regulation, 30 minutes of extra time will be played. If still tied after extra time, a penalty shoot-out will be used to determine the winners (Regulations Article 2.4.5).
Draw
The draw for the round of 16 was held on 29 May 2026, 12:00 PYT (UTC−3) at the CONMEBOL headquarters in Luque, Paraguay.[4][5] For the round of 16, the 16 teams were drawn into eight ties (A–H) between a Copa Sudamericana group winner (Pot 1) and a knockout round play-offs winner (Pot 2), with the group winners hosting the second leg. Teams from the same association or the same group could be drawn into the same tie (Regulations Articles 2.2.3.2).[2]
Bracket
The bracket starting from the round of 16 was determined as follows:[2]
| Round | Matchups | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Knockout round play-offs | (Group runners-up host second leg, matchups pre-determined)
| ||
| Round of 16 | (Group winners host second leg, matchups decided by draw)
| ||
| Quarter-finals | (Higher-seeded team host second leg)
| ||
| Semi-finals | (Higher-seeded team host second leg)
| ||
| Finals | (Higher-seeded team designated as "home" team)
|
The bracket was decided based on the round of 16 draw, which was held on 29 May 2026.
| Knockout round play-offs | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | Boca Juniors (p) | 1 | 0 | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | O'Higgins | 0 | 1 | 1 (3) | 21 | Boca Juniors | 3 | 4 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Recoleta | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | Boca Juniors | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Bolívar | 3 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | São Paulo | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Grêmio | 2 | 0 | 2 | 24 | Bolívar | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | São Paulo | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Winner S1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Santa Fe | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winner S4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Caracas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | Santa Fe (p) | 0 | 1 | 1 (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | River Plate | 0 | 1 | 1 (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Santa Fe | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | Independiente Medellín | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Vasco da Gama | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Vasco da Gama | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | Vasco da Gama | 0 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 November – Barranquilla | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Olimpia | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winner F1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Universidad Central | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winner F2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Santos | 4 | 4 | 8 | 16 | Santos | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Macará | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Santos | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Sporting Cristal | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Atlético Mineiro | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Red Bull Bragantino | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | Red Bull Bragantino | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Atlético Mineiro | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winner S2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Lanús | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winner S3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Cienciano | 0 | 4 | 4 | 15 | Cienciano | 6 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Botafogo | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Cienciano | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Nacional | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Montevideo City Torque | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Tigre | 3 | 1 | 4 | 13 | Tigre | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Montevideo City Torque | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Knockout round play-offs
Summary
The first legs were played on 21–23 July, and the second legs were played on 28–30 July 2026.[6][7]
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolívar | 4–2 | Grêmio | 3–2 | 1–0 |
| Sporting Cristal | 0–1 | Red Bull Bragantino | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| Independiente Medellín | 2–3 | Vasco da Gama | 2–2 | 0–1 |
| Boca Juniors | 1–1 (4–3 p) | O'Higgins | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Nacional | 2–4 | Tigre | 0–3 | 2–1 |
| Santa Fe | 5–0 | Caracas | 2–0 | 3–0 |
| Lanús | 2–4 | Cienciano | 2–0 | 0–4 |
| Universidad Central | 3–8 | Santos | 1–4 | 2–4 |
Matches
| Bolívar | 3–2 | Grêmio |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
Bolívar won 4–2 on aggregate and advanced to the round of 16.
| Red Bull Bragantino | 1–0 | Sporting Cristal |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Red Bull Bragantino won 1–0 on aggregate and advanced to the round of 16.
| Independiente Medellín | 2–2 | Vasco da Gama |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Vasco da Gama | 1–0 | Independiente Medellín |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Vasco da Gama won 3–2 on aggregate and advanced to the round of 16.
| Boca Juniors | 1–0 | O'Higgins |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Tied 1–1 on aggregate, Boca Juniors won on penalties and advanced to the round of 16.
Tigre won 4–2 on aggregate and advanced to the round of 16.
Santa Fe won 5–0 on aggregate and advanced to the round of 16.
Cienciano won 4–2 on aggregate and advanced to the round of 16.
Santos won 8–3 on aggregate and advanced to the round of 16.
Round of 16
Summary
The first legs were played on 11–13 and 19 August, and the second legs were played on 18–20 and 26 August 2026.[16][17]
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boca Juniors | 7–1 | Recoleta | 3–1 | 4–0 |
| Red Bull Bragantino | 2–3 | Atlético Mineiro | 0–1 | 2–2 |
| Cienciano | 6–2 | Botafogo | 6–1 | 0–1 |
| Vasco da Gama | 4–1 | Olimpia | 0–0 | 4–1 |
| Santa Fe | 1–1 (8–7 p) | River Plate | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Tigre | 1–3 | Montevideo City Torque | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Santos | 2–1 | Macará | 2–1 | 0–0 |
| Bolívar | 2–4 | São Paulo | 1–1 | 1–3 |
Matches
Boca Juniors won 7–1 on aggregate and advanced to the quarter-finals (Match S1).
| Atlético Mineiro | 2–2 | Red Bull Bragantino |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Atlético Mineiro won 3–2 on aggregate and advanced to the quarter-finals (Match S2).
| Botafogo | 1–0 | Cienciano |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Cienciano won 6–2 on aggregate and advanced to the quarter-finals (Match S3).
Vasco da Gama won 4–1 on aggregate and advanced to the quarter-finals (Match S4).
Tied 1–1 on aggregate, Santa Fe won on penalties and advanced to the quarter-finals (Match S4).
| Tigre | 0–1 | Montevideo City Torque |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Montevideo City Torque won 3–1 on aggregate and advanced to the quarter-finals (Match S3).
| Santos | 2–1 | Macará |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| Macará | 0–0 | Santos |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Santos won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the quarter-finals (Match S2).
São Paulo won 4–2 on aggregate and advanced to the quarter-finals (Match S1).
Quarter-finals
Summary
The first legs were played on 8–10 September, and the second legs will be played on 15–17 September 2026.[26][27]
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boca Juniors | S1 | São Paulo | 1–0 | 15 Sep |
| Santos | S2 | Atlético Mineiro | 2–0 | 16 Sep |
| Cienciano | S3 | Montevideo City Torque | 2–0 | 17 Sep |
| Santa Fe | S4 | Vasco da Gama | 0–0 | 15 Sep |
Matches
| Boca Juniors | 1–0 | São Paulo |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| São Paulo | v | Boca Juniors |
|---|---|---|
Winner advances to the semi-finals (Match F1).
| Atlético Mineiro | v | Santos |
|---|---|---|
Winner advances to the semi-finals (Match F2).
| Cienciano | 2–0 | Montevideo City Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Montevideo City Torque | v | Cienciano |
|---|---|---|
Winner advances to the semi-finals (Match F2).
| Vasco da Gama | v | Santa Fe |
|---|---|---|
Winner advances to the semi-finals (Match F1).
Semi-finals
Summary
The first legs will be played on 13–15 October, and the second legs will be played on 20–22 October 2026.
- † Order of legs to be decided, with the higher-seeded team in each tie hosting the second leg.
Matches
| Winner S4 | v | Winner S1 |
|---|---|---|
| Winner S1 | v | Winner S4 |
|---|---|---|
Winner advances to the final.
| Winner S3 | v | Winner S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Winner S2 | v | Winner S3 |
|---|---|---|
Winner advances to the final.
Final
The final will be played on 21 November 2026 at Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla, Colombia.
| Higher-seeded finalist | v | Lower-seeded finalist |
|---|---|---|
Notes
- Sporting Cristal played their home match at Estadio Nacional, Lima instead of their regular stadium Estadio Alberto Gallardo, Lima which did not meet CONMEBOL requirements.
- Independiente Medellín played their home match behind closed doors as they were punished for the incidents by their fans in their 2026 Copa Libertadores group stage match against Flamengo.[10]
- Caracas played their home match at Estadio Metropolitano, Cabudare instead of their regular stadium Estadio Olímpico de la UCV, Caracas due to the impact of the 2026 Venezuela earthquakes.[12][13]
- Universidad Central played their home match at Estadio Misael Delgado, Valencia instead of their regular stadium Estadio Olímpico de la UCV, Caracas due to the impact of the 2026 Venezuela earthquakes.[14][13]
- Boca Juniors played their home match against Recoleta at Estadio Tomás Adolfo Ducó, Buenos Aires instead of their regular stadium La Bombonera, Buenos Aires due to refurbishment works on the field of play.[18]
- Recoleta played their home match at Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción instead of their regular stadium Estadio Roque Battilana, Asunción which did not meet CONMEBOL requirements.
- Olimpia played their home match at Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción instead of their regular stadium Estadio Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb, Asunción which is being rebuilt.
- Both legs of the Santa Fe v River Plate series, originally scheduled for 12 and 19 August 2026, were postponed for one week due to the 2026 Colombia earthquake.[23]
- Montevideo City Torque play their home matches at Estadio Centenario, Montevideo instead of their regular stadium Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo which did not meet CONMEBOL requirements.