The 2026 Copa Libertadores qualifying stages were played from 3 February to 12 March 2026.[1] A total of 19 teams competed in the qualifying stages to decide four of the 32 places in the group stage of the 2026 Copa Libertadores.
Draw
The draw for the qualifying stages was held on 18 December 2025, 12:00 PYT (UTC−3), at the CONMEBOL Convention Centre in Luque, Paraguay.[2][3]
Teams were seeded by their CONMEBOL Clubs ranking as of 15 December 2025 (shown in parentheses),[4] taking into account the following three factors:[5]
- Performance in the last 10 years, taking into account Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana results in the period 2016–2025.
- Historical coefficient, taking into account Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana results in the period 1960–2015 and 2002–2015 respectively.
- Local tournament champion, with bonus points awarded to domestic league champions of the last 10 years.
For the first stage, the six teams were drawn into three ties (E1–E3), with the teams from Pot 1 hosting the second leg.[6]
First stage draw
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Pot 2
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† The identity of the team from Bolivia was not known at the time of the draw and it was seeded in Pot 2.
For the second stage, the 16 teams were drawn into eight ties (C1–C8), with the teams from Pot 1 hosting the second leg. Teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same tie, excluding the three winners of the first stage, which were seeded in Pot 2 and whose identity was not known at the time of the draw, and could be drawn into the same tie with another team from the same association.[6]
Second stage draw
| Pot 1
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Pot 2
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† The identity of the teams from Bolivia and Ecuador was not known at the time of the draw and they were seeded in Pot 2.
For the third stage, the eight winners of the second stage were allocated without any draw into the following four ties (G1–G4), with the team in each tie with the higher CONMEBOL ranking hosting the second leg.[6]
- Second stage winner C1 vs. Second stage winner C8
- Second stage winner C2 vs. Second stage winner C7
- Second stage winner C3 vs. Second stage winner C6
- Second stage winner C4 vs. Second stage winner C5
In the qualifying stages, each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If tied on aggregate, extra time would not be played, and a penalty shoot-out was used to determine the winner (Regulations Article 2.4.3).
Bracket
The qualifying stages are structured as follows:
- First stage (6 teams): The three winners of the first stage advance to the second stage to join the 13 teams which are given byes to the second stage.
- Second stage (16 teams): The eight winners of the second stage advance to the third stage.
- Third stage (8 teams): The four winners of the third stage advance to the group stage to join the 28 direct entrants. The four teams eliminated in the third stage enter the Copa Sudamericana group stage.
The bracket was decided based on the first stage draw and second stage draw, which was held on 18 December 2025.
Winner G1
Winner G2
Winner G3
Winner G4
First stage
Summary
The first legs were played on 3–5 February, and the second legs were played on 10–12 February 2026.[7][8][9]
Matches
Tied 2–2 on aggregate, Deportivo Táchira won on penalties and advanced to the second stage (Match C2).
Tied 4–4 on aggregate, Juventud won on penalties and advanced to the second stage (Match C1).
2 de Mayo won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second stage (Match C3).
Second stage
Summary
The first legs were played on 17–19 February, and the second legs were played on 24–26 February 2026.[7][8][9][12]
Matches
Juventud won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the third stage (Match G1).
Tied 1–1 on aggregate, Deportes Tolima won on penalties and advanced to the third stage (Match G2).
Tied 2–2 on aggregate, Sporting Cristal won on penalties and advanced to the third stage (Match G3).
Tied 1–1 on aggregate, Barcelona won on penalties and advanced to the third stage (Match G4).
Botafogo won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the third stage (Match G4).
Carabobo won 3–1 on aggregate and advanced to the third stage (Match G3).
Tied 2–2 on aggregate, O'Higgins won on penalties and advanced to the third stage (Match G2).
Independiente Medellín won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the third stage (Match G1).
Third stage
Summary
The first legs were played on 3–5 March, and the second legs were played on 10–12 March 2026.[21][22]
Matches
Independiente Medellín won 3–2 on aggregate and advanced to the group stage.
Deportes Tolima won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the group stage.
Tied 2–2 on aggregate, Sporting Cristal won on penalties and advanced to the group stage.
Barcelona won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the group stage.
Notes
- ^ Juventud played their first stage home match at Estadio Centenario, Montevideo instead of their regular stadium Estadio Parque Artigas Las Piedras, Las Piedras which did not meet CONMEBOL requirements.
- ^ Juventud played their second stage home match at Parque Alfredo Víctor Viera, Montevideo (originally scheduled at Estadio Centenario, Montevideo)[12] instead of their regular stadium Estadio Parque Artigas Las Piedras, Las Piedras which did not meet CONMEBOL requirements.[13]
- ^ Guaraní played their home match at Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción instead of their regular stadium Estadio Rogelio Livieres, Asunción which is being rebuilt.[14]
- ^ The Sporting Cristal vs. 2 de Mayo match, originally scheduled to be held at Estadio Nacional, Lima, was moved to Estadio Miguel Grau, Callao.[15]
- ^ Liverpool play their home matches at Parque Alfredo Víctor Viera, Montevideo (originally scheduled at Estadio Centenario, Montevideo)[8] instead of their regular stadium Estadio Belvedere, Montevideo which is being rebuilt.[20]
- ^ Juventud played their third stage home match at Estadio Gran Parque Central, Montevideo instead of their regular stadium Estadio Parque Artigas Las Piedras, Las Piedras which did not meet CONMEBOL requirements.[23]
- ^ Sporting Cristal played their third stage home match at Estadio Alejandro Villanueva, Lima instead of their regular stadium Estadio Alberto Gallardo, Lima which did not meet CONMEBOL requirements.
References
- ^ "Calendario de la CONMEBOL Libertadores, CONMEBOL Sudamericana y CONMEBOL Recopa 2026" [Schedule for the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores, CONMEBOL Sudamericana and CONMEBOL Recopa] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "Conmebol sorteará las fases preliminares de Libertadores y Sudamericana 2026 el 18 de diciembre" [CONMEBOL will draw the preliminary rounds of the 2026 Libertadores and Sudamericana on 18 December] (in Spanish). El Universo. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ "Cruces definidos para la Fase Preliminar de la CONMEBOL Libertadores 2026" [Matchups set for the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores' Preliminary Stage] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 18 December 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Ranking de Clubes de la CONMEBOL 2026" [2026 CONMEBOL Clubs Ranking] (PDF) (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "RANKING DE CLUBES DE LA CONMEBOL 2021 SISTEMA DE PUNTAJE" (PDF) (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 2 February 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2021.
- ^ a b c "Pautas de sorteo para la CONMEBOL Libertadores y CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2026" [Draw guidelines for the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores and CONMEBOL Sudamericana] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 17 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ a b "Fixture de Fase Preliminar de la CONMEBOL Libertadores 2026" [2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores Preliminary Stage Fixture] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 18 December 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ a b c "CONMEBOL LIBERTADORES 2026 | PROGRAMA DE PARTIDOS - FASES PRELIMINARES | Departamento de Competiciones y Operaciones | Versión de 18/12/2025" (PDF) (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 18 December 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ a b "CONMEBOL LIBERTADORES 2026 | PROGRAMA DE PARTIDOS - FASES PRELIMINARES | Departamento de Competiciones y Operaciones | Versión de 22/01/2026" (PDF) (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ^ "Strongest 2-1 Táchira (3 de fev, 2026) Placar Final" (in Brazilian Portuguese). ESPN. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
- ^ "Juventud 0-1 U Católica (5 de fev, 2026) Placar Final" (in Brazilian Portuguese). ESPN. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
- ^ a b "CONMEBOL LIBERTADORES 2026 | PROGRAMA DE PARTIDOS - FASES PRELIMINARES | Departamento de Competiciones y Operaciones | Versión de 13/02/2026" (PDF) (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ "Cambio de escenario en un partido de la CONMEBOL Libertadores" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ "Remodelación del estadio, en marcha" [Remodeling of the stadium, underway] (in Spanish). La Nación. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ "Cambio de escenario en un partido de la CONMEBOL Libertadores" [Venue change in a CONMEBOL Libertadores match] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 29 January 2026. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ^ Dantas, Matheus (25 February 2026). "Botafogo vence o Nacional Potosí no Nilton Santos e avança na Libertadores" [Botafogo defeats Nacional Potosí at Nilton Santos and advances in the Libertadores] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Rádio Itatiaia.
- ^ Toledo, Raúl (24 February 2026). "Huachipato no puede con la maldición internacional y queda fuera de la Libertadores ante Carabobo" [Huachipato cannot overcome the international curse and are eliminated from the Libertadores by Carabobo] (in Spanish). Sabes Deportes.
- ^ "O'Higgins 1-0 Bahia (18 de fev, 2026) Placar Final" (in Brazilian Portuguese). ESPN. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ^ "Bahia vence O'Higgins, mas cai nos pênaltis e vive decepção na pré-Libertadores" [Bahia defeats O'Higgins but loses on penalties and suffers disappointment in Pre-Libertadores]. www.estadao.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). O Estado de S. Paulo. 25 February 2026.
- ^ Martínez, Bruno (27 March 2025). "Liverpool construirá un estadio de última generación: ¿cuánto costará y cuándo estará listo?" [Liverpool will build a state-of-the-art stadium: how much will it cost and when will it be ready?] (in Spanish). Debate Uruguay. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ "Calendario de partidos – Fase 3" [Match schedule – Stage 3] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ^ "CONMEBOL LIBERTADORES 2026 | PROGRAMA DE PARTIDOS - FASES PRELIMINARES | Departamento de Competiciones y Operaciones | Versión de 27/02/2026" (PDF) (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ^ "Libertadores: Juventud será local en Gran Parque Central frente al Independiente Medellín" [Libertadores: Juventud will host Independiente Medellín at Gran Parque Central] (in Spanish). Montevideo Portal. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ^ Figueroa, Maximiliano (4 March 2026). "O'Higgins vence a Tolima por la cuenta mínima y se va con ventaja a Colombia" [O'Higgins defeats Tolima by the narrowest of margins and heads to Colombia with the advantage] (in Spanish). El Rancagüino.
External links
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