The Copa Libertadores is South America's premier club competition, founded in 1960 and named for the continent's independence leaders. Qualifying rounds feed a group stage, followed by two-legged knockouts and, since 2019, a single-match final at a neutral venue. Independiente hold the record for titles, ahead of Boca Juniors and Peñarol, and Brazilian and Argentine clubs dominate the modern era. The tournament is defined as much by its conditions as its football: hostile, densely packed stadiums, long continental travel, and altitude venues in Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia that visiting sides find genuinely difficult. Ties frequently turn on the away leg, and knockout football here has a reputation for physicality and gamesmanship that separates it from European competition. The champion earns a place in the global club championship and, domestically, a season-defining prize.
No Libertadores fixtures are scheduled in the next seven days. The 2026 edition ran from 4 February 2026 to 20 October 2026.