South America’s leading club competition
The CONMEBOL Libertadores is an annual club football tournament organized by the South American Football Confederation, known as CONMEBOL. Held since 1960, it is regarded as the leading club competition in South America and one of the most prestigious in world football. Participating clubs come from national associations affiliated with CONMEBOL.
The official name became CONMEBOL Libertadores in 2017, although the tournament has long been known as the Copa Libertadores. “Libertadores” honors leaders of the independence struggles in Spanish America and Brazil. The competition began as the Copa de Campeones de América, or Champions Cup of America, and adopted the Libertadores name in 1965.
Entry and competition format
Clubs qualify for the Libertadores through competitions in their own countries. The number of places differs among national associations; the available information lists 47 participating clubs from ten associations. Brazil and Argentina have more representatives than the other countries. Allocation of places and qualification criteria can change under the rules for each edition.
The tournament combines preliminary rounds, a group stage and knockout rounds. In the format described in the available sources, clubs advancing from the early stages join teams already qualified for the groups; the leading teams then progress to knockout ties. This structure tests clubs in group matches before direct elimination determines who advances. The format and field size have changed over time, so these details should not be assumed to remain identical in every season.
How the tournament has evolved
The earliest editions were limited to national champions. Runners-up began competing in 1966, expanding each country’s representation. Mexican clubs were invited from 1998 and competed regularly between 2000 and 2016. The tournament remains organized by CONMEBOL and centered on South American clubs.
The Libertadores provides a continental contest in which clubs from different countries compete for the same title. Its prestige reflects both the prize and the route to winning it: clubs qualify through domestic competitions, face opponents from other associations, and progress from group matches to knockout ties. The precise format depends on the edition, but the purpose is consistent: to determine a champion from among the clubs that earned a place in the competition.