Sudamericana

The Copa Sudamericana (CONMEBOL Sudamericana, launched in 2002) is an annual international club competition organized by CONMEBOL and South America’s second-tier continental tournament below the Copa Libertadores. Tournament regulations: in the current model, 44 clubs from CONMEBOL’s 10 member associations take part (Argentina and Brazil with 6 entrants each, the remaining associations with 4 each). The first stage features 32 clubs from associations other than Argentina and Brazil paired in single-match ties within their own association, with a penalty shootout if level after 90 minutes; the group stage then has 32 teams split into eight groups of four playing a double round-robin (six matchdays), with group winners advancing directly to the round of 16 and group runners-up entering a knockout play-off against the teams finishing third in the Copa Libertadores groups. In the group stage, teams earn 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss, with ties broken by goal difference, goals scored, away goals scored and then the CONMEBOL club ranking. From the knockout play-offs through the semi-finals, ties are two-legged home and away and, if level on aggregate, there is no extra time and the winner is decided by penalties, while the final is a single match at a pre-selected venue with extra time and then penalties if required.