The 2021 Copa CONMEBOL Sudamericana was the 20th edition of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana (also referred to as the Copa Sudamericana, or ), South America's secondary club football tournament organized by CONMEBOL.
Starting from this season, teams had to be in the top division of their member association to play in South American club competitions, except for teams which were champions of the qualifying tournaments or cups.
On 14 May 2020, CONMEBOL announced the candidate venues for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 club competition finals. On 13 May 2021, CONMEBOL announced that the final would be played at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay on 6 November 2021, but on 27 July 2021 the final was eventually confirmed to have been rescheduled to 20 November 2021.
Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense defeated fellow Brazilian club Red Bull Bragantino by a 1–0 score in the final to win their second tournament title. As winners of the 2021 Copa Sudamericana, Athletico Paranaense earned the right to play against the winners of the 2021 Copa Libertadores in the 2022 Recopa Sudamericana. They also automatically qualified for the 2022 Copa Libertadores group stage.
Defensa y Justicia were the defending champions, but did not play this edition since they qualified for the 2021 Copa Libertadores group stage as Copa Sudamericana champions and later advanced to the knockout stage.
Format changes On 2 October 2020, CONMEBOL's Council approved the implementation of format changes to the Copa Sudamericana starting from this edition, aimed at ensuring that each of the countries is better represented in the different stages of the competition. The following changes were implemented: The tournament was expanded from 54 to 56 teams, with all four Copa Libertadores third stage losers entering the competition instead of the two best teams eliminated. In the first stage, teams from all associations other than Argentina and Brazil played against a team from their same association in double-legged ties with the winners qualifying for a 32-team group stage, ensuring that at least two teams from each association will take part in the group stage. A group stage was included, with teams from Argentina and Brazil directly entering the Copa Sudamericana entering the competition at this stage, joining the 16 first stage winners and the four teams eliminated in the Copa Libertadores third stage. The winners of each group qualified for the round of 16. The eight third-placed teams of the Copa Libertadores group stage entered the competition at the round of 16.
Teams The following 44 teams from the 10 CONMEBOL associations qualified for the tournament: Argentina and Brazil: 6 berths each All other associations: 4 berths each
The entry stage was determined as follows: Group stage: 12 teams (teams from Argentina and Brazil) First stage: 32 teams (teams from all other associations)
AssociationTeam Entry stageQualification methodNewell's Old Boys Group stage2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresTalleres 2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table 2nd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresLanús 2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table 3rd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresRosario Central 2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table 4th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresArsenal 2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table 5th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresIndependiente 2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table 6th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresJorge Wilstermann First stage2020 Apertura best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresGuabirá 2020 Apertura 2nd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresNacional Potosí 2020 Apertura 3rd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresAtlético Palmaflor 2020 Apertura 4th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresAthletico Paranaense Group stage2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresRed Bull Bragantino 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 2nd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresCeará 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 3rd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresCorinthians 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 4th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresAtlético Goianiense 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 5th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresBahia 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 6th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresPalestino First stage2020 Primera División best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresDeportes Antofagasta 2020 Primera División 2nd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresCobresal 2020 Primera División 3rd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresHuachipato 2020 Primera División 4th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresDeportes Tolima First stage2020 Primera A aggregate table best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresLa Equidad 2020 Primera A aggregate table 2nd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresDeportivo Pasto 2020 Primera A aggregate table 3rd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresDeportivo Cali 2020 Primera A Copa Sudamericana play-off winnersEmelec First stage2020 Serie A aggregate table best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresGuayaquil City 2020 Serie A aggregate table 2nd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresMacará 2020 Serie A aggregate table 3rd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresAucas 2020 Serie A aggregate table 4th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresNacional First stage2020 Primera División aggregate table best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresGuaireña 2020 Primera División aggregate table 2nd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa Libertadores12 de Octubre 2020 Primera División aggregate table 3rd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresRiver Plate 2020 Primera División aggregate table 4th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresCarlos A. Mannucci First stage2020 Liga 1 aggregate table best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresSport Huancayo 2020 Liga 1 aggregate table 2nd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresUTC 2020 Liga 1 aggregate table 3rd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresMelgar 2020 Liga 1 aggregate table 4th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresPeñarol First stage2020 Primera División aggregate table best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresMontevideo City Torque 2020 Primera División aggregate table 2nd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresCerro Largo 2020 Primera División aggregate table 3rd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresFénix 2020 Primera División aggregate table 4th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresFirst stage2020 Primera División aggregate table best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresAragua 2020 Primera División aggregate table 2nd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresMetropolitanos 2020 Primera División aggregate table 3rd best team not qualified for 2021 Copa LibertadoresMineros de Guayana 2020 Primera División aggregate table 4th best team not qualified for 2021 Copa Libertadores
A further 12 teams eliminated from the 2021 Copa Libertadores were transferred to the Copa Sudamericana, entering the group stage (four teams) and the round of 16 (eight teams).
Teams eliminated in third stageEntry stage LibertadGroup stage Grêmio Bolívar San LorenzoThird-placed teams in group stageEntry stage Independiente del ValleRound of 16 Deportivo Táchira Santos Junior Sporting Cristal Nacional LDU Quito América de Cali
Notes
Schedule The schedule of the competition was as follows:
StageDraw dateFirst legSecond legFirst stage5 February 202116–18 March 20216–7 April 20216–8 April 202113–14 April 2021Group stage9 April 2021Round of 161 June 202113–15 July 202120–22 July 2021Quarter-finals10–12 August 202117–19 August 2021Semi-finals22–23 September 202129–30 September 2021Final20 November 2021 at Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
Draws
First stage
Group stage
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Final stages
Seeding
Bracket
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Statistics Top scorers RankPlayerTeam Total1 Agustín Álvarez Martínez Peñarol 22 31 1 1 102 Artur Red Bull Bragantino 1 311173 Gustavo Del Prete Montevideo City Torque 1 1211 6 Jonathan Herrera Independiente 3111 5 Lucas Albertengo Arsenal 1 12 15 Bernardo Cuesta Melgar 112 1 Ferreira Grêmio 122 Humberto Osorio Jorge Wilstermann111 11 9 Marcelo González River Plate 1 2 1 4 Nikão Athletico Paranaense 11 11 David Terans Peñarol Athletico Paranaense1 11 1 Facundo Torres Peñarol 11 1 1 Vitinho Athletico Paranaense 1 1 2
See also 2021 Copa Libertadores
References
External links CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2021, CONMEBOL.com