The 2026 Copa Sudamericana is entering its most important stage. With the conclusion of the playoffs, the 16 teams that will compete in the round of 16 of the continental tournament have been determined, and they will seek to advance towards the tournament's final.
The next stage will feature three Argentine teams: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Tigre. The Argentine football clubs are the only national representatives that have managed to stay alive in the competition, and they will now face a series of decisive matches to try to make it among the top eight.
Regarding the Boca Juniors vs Recoleta match, the first leg will be on August 11, at 19:00, in Buenos Aires. The return leg will be played on August 18, also at 19:00, in Asunción.
For the River vs Independiente Santa Fe match, the first leg will take place on August 12, at 21:30, in Bogotá. Then, the return leg will be on August 19, at the same time of 21:30, in Buenos Aires.
Concerning the Tigre vs Montevideo City Torque matchup, the first leg will be played on August 12 at 19:00 in Victoria. The match to determine who advances to the next stage is scheduled for August 19 at 21:30 in Montevideo.
In addition to the three Argentine teams, the Copa Sudamericana will feature a significant presence of Brazilian clubs and representatives from other South American countries.
Who are the other qualified teams
The teams that complete the list of qualifiers are Botafogo, Atlético Mineiro, São Paulo, Vasco da Gama, Bragantino, and Santos from Brazil. Paraguay will be represented by Olimpia, while Peru will have Cienciano. Bolivia will be represented by Bolívar and Ecuador by Macará. The list is completed by Recoleta from Paraguay; Montevideo City Torque from Uruguay, and Independiente Santa Fe from Colombia.
The round of 16 of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana will maintain the home-and-away series format. Each team will play one match at home and another as a visitor, with the goal of achieving qualification for the quarter-finals.
