Lanús lifted the 2025 Copa Sudamericana after beating Atlético Mineiro 5-4 on penalties in the final. It was the Argentine club’s second title in the competition, and it kept a theme going: Brazilian sides keep reaching Sudamericana finals and keep losing them narrowly.
This guide explains how the competition works, who has won it, how it connects to the Copa Libertadores and what is happening in the 2026 edition.
Key Takeaways
- The Copa Sudamericana is CONMEBOL’s second club competition, running since 2002, and the final has been a single match since 2019.
- The 2026 edition has 56 clubs, including 12 teams that dropped down from the Copa Libertadores.
- Argentina has 11 titles, Brazil five titles and nine lost finals, and Ecuador four (before the 2026 final).
- The winner goes into the next Libertadores group stage.
- The 2026 final is Boca Juniors v Atlético Mineiro on 21 November in Barranquilla.
What the Competition Is
CONMEBOL launched the Sudamericana in 2002, replacing earlier tournaments such as the Copa CONMEBOL and the Copa Mercosur. Think of it as the Europa League of South America, a continental cup for clubs that miss out on the Libertadores. Clubs from 10 national associations take part.
Between 2002 and 2018 the final was played over two legs. Since 2019 it has been a single match at a neutral venue.
How the Format Works
The competition has a group stage and knockout rounds, and it also takes in clubs from the Libertadores qualifying rounds. In 2026 the field is 56 teams, made up of 44 clubs entering directly and 12 that dropped out of the Libertadores.
- Group stage. Clubs that miss out on the Libertadores, plus teams that dropped down from it, play in groups.
- Knockout play-offs. Group runners-up and Libertadores drop-outs meet, with the winners going into the round of 16.
- Final. One match, at a neutral venue.
The drop-down rule matters. Lanús were the defending champions in 2026, finished third in their Libertadores group and fell into the Sudamericana knockout play-offs, where Cienciano eliminated them. Cienciano lost the first leg 2-0 in Argentina, then won the second leg 4-0 in Cusco.
Who Has Won It
No single club has dominated. Six clubs share the record with two titles each.
| Club | Country | Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Boca Juniors | Argentina | 2 |
| Independiente | Argentina | 2 |
| Lanús | Argentina | 2 |
| Athletico Paranaense | Brazil | 2 |
| Independiente del Valle | Ecuador | 2 |
| LDU Quito | Ecuador | 2 |
Boca are the only club to win back to back, in 2004 and 2005. By country, Argentina leads with 11 titles across eight different clubs, Brazil has five and has lost nine other finals, and Ecuador has four. These totals are as of 30 October 2026, before the 2026 final.
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Recent Finals: 2022 to 2025
The last four finals show how evenly spread the competition has become, with a different champion in each of the last four years and a Brazilian club on the losing side every time.
| Year | Champion | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Independiente del Valle (Ecuador) | São Paulo (Brazil) |
| 2023 | LDU Quito (Ecuador) | Fortaleza (Brazil) |
| 2024 | Racing (Argentina) | Cruzeiro (Brazil) |
| 2025 | Lanús (Argentina) | Atlético Mineiro (Brazil) |
Independiente del Valle beat São Paulo 2-0 in 2022, and Racing won their first title in 2024 by beating Cruzeiro 3-1 in Asunción. The 2025 final ended 0-0 after extra time, and Lanús goalkeeper Nahuel Losada saved three penalties in the shootout. The full list of finals goes back to San Lorenzo’s win in 2002.
Brazil’s Near Misses
Brazil’s record shows a pattern. Five titles is a good return, but nine lost finals is more defeats than any other country has suffered, and it still stings.
In November 2024, Cruzeiro lost the final 3-1 to Racing. A year later Atlético Mineiro lost on penalties to Lanús. Athletico Paranaense are the Brazilian club with two titles, which puts them level with Boca. In 2026 Atlético Mineiro are back in the final, with a chance to end a run of four straight Brazilian defeats.
If you follow Brazilian clubs, our Brazilian Série A league profile shows which teams are in contention for continental places each season.
Colombia and Ecuador
The cup is also where clubs from smaller leagues get a chance to shine. For 2026, Atlético Nacional, América de Cali, Atlético Bucaramanga and Millonarios took Colombia’s Sudamericana places, which shows how far Colombian clubs can go in a second-tier continental year.
Ecuador has made the biggest leap. Independiente del Valle and LDU Quito have two titles each, which gives the country four, and LDU’s most recent win came in 2023.
Sudamericana vs Libertadores
| Detail | Copa Sudamericana | Copa Libertadores |
|---|---|---|
| Field in 2026 | 56 clubs | 32 clubs in the group stage |
| Final | Single match since 2019 | Single match since 2019 |
How to Read the Winners List
Three patterns stand out if you look at the roll of honour:
- Argentina’s depth. Eleven titles have been shared among eight different clubs, so there is no single powerhouse.
- Brazil’s finals habit. Fourteen finals, with five wins and nine defeats, mean Brazilian clubs are almost always in the mix.
- Ecuador’s rise. Four titles from two clubs is a strong return for a smaller league.
The competition also rewards clubs that handle the drop-down from the Libertadores well. Lanús are a good example. They won the cup in 2025, entered the 2026 Libertadores, finished third in their group and dropped back into the Sudamericana.
The 2016 Final That Was Never Played
The most memorable edition was the one without a final. In 2016 the final was suspended after the crash of LaMia Flight 2933, which killed most of Chapecoense’s squad. CONMEBOL awarded the title to Chapecoense after a request from Atlético Nacional, their opponents in the final.
It is a sobering part of the competition’s history, and it is the reason Chapecoense appear on the winners list.
The Money and the Prize
The Sudamericana pays less than the Libertadores, but the money is still significant. When Lanús won in 2025, CONMEBOL figures put their total earnings at about $9.8 million, including $6.5 million for the title itself. Runners-up Atlético Mineiro collected about $5.7 million.
The winner also earns a place in the next Libertadores group stage, plus a Recopa Sudamericana against the Libertadores champion.
The 2026 Final: Boca Juniors v Atlético Mineiro
The 2026 competition has reached its last match. Information in this section is correct as of 30 October 2026, before the final is played. The final is on Saturday 21 November at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla, which CONMEBOL confirmed as host in March. It is the first single-match final the city has staged, and the stadium has been through a major expansion to get ready.
Boca Juniors beat Vasco da Gama 3-2 on aggregate in the first semi-final. They lost the first leg 1-0 at La Bombonera, then won 3-1 at the Maracanã, with Paredes scoring the third goal in the 88th minute. Atlético Mineiro, last year’s runners-up, beat Montevideo City Torque 3-2 on aggregate. They won the first leg 3-0 at the Arena MRV and lost the second leg 2-0 in Montevideo, playing the closing stages with ten men.
Boca are chasing a record third Sudamericana title, which would make them the first club to win it three times and end an 18-year wait for an international trophy. Atlético Mineiro are looking for a first title after losing the 2025 final on penalties. The winner goes into the 2027 Libertadores group stage and plays the Libertadores champion in the Recopa Sudamericana. Atlético Mineiro are also in the Copa do Brasil semi-finals, which we cover in our Copa do Brasil guide.
For more on the continental picture, the Copa Sudamericana league profile covers the matches, the Copa Libertadores league profile covers the bigger competition above it, and the leagues hub lists every league we cover.
Why the Sudamericana Is Worth Following
The Sudamericana has a different feel from the Libertadores. Smaller clubs have more chances, the drop-down rule keeps the knockout rounds strong, and a single final makes for a tense night.
If you are new to it, start with the knockout play-offs, where the Libertadores drop-outs meet the group runners-up.