History of Copa Sudamericana in Timeline

The Copa Sudamericana is an annual international club football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 2002. It stands as the second-most prestigious club competition in South American football. Created to replace the Copa Merconorte and Copa Mercosur, the tournament has featured CONCACAF clubs in the past. The competition operates as a pure elimination tournament, though the number of participating teams and rounds can vary each year.

1992: Copa CONMEBOL Creation

In 1992, the Copa CONMEBOL was created as an international football tournament for South American clubs that did not qualify for the Copa Libertadores and Supercopa Sudamericana.

1998: Start of Copa Merconorte and Copa Mercosur

In 1998, the Copa Merconorte and Copa Mercosur tournaments were initiated.

1999: Discontinuation of Copa CONMEBOL

In 1999, the Copa CONMEBOL was discontinued and replaced by the Copa Merconorte and Copa Mercosur.

2001: Discontinuation of Copa Merconorte and Copa Mercosur

In 2001, the Copa Merconorte and Copa Mercosur were discontinued.

2002: Competition Begins

In 2002, the CONMEBOL Sudamericana was established as an annual international club football competition by CONMEBOL, replacing the Copa Merconorte and Copa Mercosur with a single-elimination tournament.

2002: Introduction of Copa Sudamericana

In 2002, the Copa Sudamericana was introduced as a single-elimination tournament, featuring the reigning Copa Mercosur champion, San Lorenzo.

2003: Nissan Motors Sponsorship

In 2003, Nissan Motors became the first major sponsor of the Copa Sudamericana, signing an 8-year contract with CONMEBOL.

2004: Boca Juniors Win

In 2004, Boca Juniors achieved one of their back-to-back victories in the Copa Sudamericana.

2004: Cienciano's Trophy Conquest

In 2004, Cienciano's victory in the Copa Sudamericana ignited celebrations across Peru, highlighting the tournament's significance.

2004: CONCACAF Clubs Invited

In 2004, clubs from CONCACAF were invited to participate in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana competition.

2005: Boca Juniors Back-to-Back Victory

In 2005, Boca Juniors secured their second consecutive victory in the Copa Sudamericana, marking a significant achievement in the competition's history.

2006: Pachuca's Victory

In 2006, the Mexican football federation regarded Pachuca's victory in the Copa Sudamericana as the most important title won by any Mexican club.

2008: End of CONCACAF Invitation

In 2008, the invitation of CONCACAF clubs to participate in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana ended.

2014: Most Games Played

As of the end of the 2014 tournament, LDU Quito and São Paulo have played the most games in the Copa Sudamericana, with 50 games each.

2016: Tournament Format Before Changes

Until 2016, the Copa Sudamericana comprised 47 teams in a knockout format, with Argentine and Brazilian teams receiving byes to the second round and defending champions entering in the round of 16.

2017: Implementation of Format Changes

Starting from the 2017 edition, the Copa Sudamericana implemented changes to its tournament format.

2019: Broadcast Packages Separated

Starting in 2019, the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana broadcast packages were separated, with DirecTV taking over the Copa and Recopa Sudamericana coverage.

2021: Format Alteration and Group Stage Introduction

Ahead of the 2021 edition, the Copa Sudamericana's format was altered, introducing a group stage that replaced the second stage. Six qualifiers from Argentina and Brazil were given byes to that stage.

May 2022: DirecTV Agreement Renewal

On May 12, 2022, CONMEBOL announced the renewal of the agreement with DirecTV for the 2023–2026 cycle for broadcasting the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana broadcast packages.

2023: Financial Awards for Clubs

For the 2023 Copa Sudamericana, clubs playing their first stage match at home receive US$225,000, while teams playing away receive US$250,000. Qualifying for the group stage awards US$900,000, with US$100,000 per match won. Additional amounts are awarded for reaching later stages, up to US$5,000,000 for the winners.

2023: DirecTV Agreement Renewal

In 2023, CONMEBOL renewed its agreement with DirecTV for the 2023-2026 cycle for the broadcasting rights of the Copa Sudamericana, while awarding the rights for Brazil to SBT, ESPN and Paramount.

2024: Copa Sudamericana Sponsors

As of 2024, the Copa Sudamericana is sponsored by a group of multinational corporations.

2024: Puma Supplies Official Match Ball

In 2024, Puma became the supplier of the official match ball for the Copa Sudamericana and all other CONMEBOL competitions, ending CONMEBOL's 20-year partnership with Nike.