Copa Libertadores

The Copa Libertadores is widely regarded as the most important club competition in South American football. Like the UEFA Champions League, teams from South American countries battle to win the competition year after year.

The format of this competition has changed since its beginning in 1960. In its earlier years, the champions of every CONMEBOL nation could play, but the competition has expanded up to the point where 38 teams played the proper competition. In recent years, up to 47 teams have played a single Copa Libertadores edition, if you add up the teams eliminated in the preliminary rounds and those who make the group stage.

The group stage has all 32 teams divided into eight groups. The winner and runner up of each group will enter the knockout stage, where two-legged ties will decide those teams that make it to the final. Up to 2018, the final tie was played on a home-and-away system, but CONMEBOL replicated the Champions League format by electing a neutral venue for the title game.

Being the two most important countries for football in America, teams from Argentina and Brazil have dominated the distribution of titles throughout the tournament’s history. Together, these two nations have combined for over 45 Copa Libertadores titles. Teams such as Boca Juniors, Flamengo, River Plate, and Palmeiras have made a name for themselves by winning this competition many times.

Coverage for the Copa Libertadores is available across the globe. Broadcasting rights in the United States have been awarded to beIN Sports, who will cover the competition until the end of the 2026 edition. Streaming platforms such as Fanatiz and fuboTV are also allowed to stream all content related to the competition until 2026. In the UK, fans can follow this competition via the streaming platform Mola TV. Meanwhile, in Canada, beIN Sports Canada and beIN Sports en Español have also signed deals to cover the competition until 2026.