The Road to Glory Heats Up
The Copa Libertadores 2026, South America's most prestigious club football tournament, has reached its decisive stage. With the round of 16 nearly complete, seven teams have already secured their places in the quarterfinals, leaving only one spot to be decided between Independiente del Valle of Ecuador and Deportes Tolima of Colombia. The path to the grand final, scheduled for Saturday, November 28 at the iconic Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, promises high drama and unforgettable moments.
The Qualified Teams and Their Matchups
Here are the teams that have already made it to the quarterfinals and their respective opponents:
- Fluminense (Brazil) vs. Platense (Argentina)
- Estudiantes de La Plata (Argentina) vs. Corinthians (Brazil)
- Independiente del Valle or Tolima vs. Flamengo (Brazil)
- Palmeiras (Brazil) vs. Liga de Quito (Ecuador)
The Club Atlético Platense, a historic club from the Buenos Aires suburbs, made history by defeating Coquimbo Unido on penalties in Chile, securing their first-ever quarterfinal appearance in their debut season in the tournament. Meanwhile, Estudiantes dominated Universidad Católica in Chile with a 4-1 aggregate scoreline, advancing with authority and confidence.
Quarterfinal Dates and Schedule
The first legs will be played between Tuesday, September 8 and Thursday, September 10, while the return legs will take place a week later, from September 15 to 17. Exact kickoff times have not yet been confirmed, but CONMEBOL, the South American football governing body, will announce them in the coming days.
The semifinals are scheduled for October 13 and 14 (first leg) and October 20 and 21 (return leg). The grand final will be held on November 28 at the Estadio Centenario, a venue steeped in history as the site of the very first Copa Libertadores final in 1960.
How They Got Here
Fluminense was the first team to qualify, edging out Independiente Rivadavia in a penalty shootout. Palmeiras secured their spot with a narrow 1-0 victory over Cerro Porteño in Paraguay. Flamengo, the defending champions, overcame a tough challenge from Cruzeiro in a closely contested tie. Liga de Quito advanced after a dramatic penalty shootout against Mirassol, following two draws. Corinthians eliminated Rosario Central with a stoppage-time goal from Breno Bidon in the 80th minute, despite playing with ten men after Raniele's red card.
The final spot will be decided in the series between Independiente del Valle and Deportes Tolima, which concludes this week.
Sources: TyC Sports | El Gráfico | ESPN