The 2026 Copa Venezuela is the 53rd edition of the Venezuelan football cup, which is organized by the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF). The competition began on 24 June 2026, with the participation of 14 Liga FUTVE and 14 Liga FUTVE 2 teams. The winners will qualify for the 2027 Supercopa de Venezuela against the 2026 Liga FUTVE champions.
Universidad Central are the defending champions, having won the tournament in 2025.
The competition was suspended immediately after its first matchday on 24 June due to the 2026 Venezuela earthquakes, resuming on 18 August 2026 with the second matchday of the group stage.
Format For this season, the tournament kept the format used in its previous edition, comprising a 20-team group stage and the knockout stages to be contested by 16 teams.
For the group stage, fourteen Liga FUTVE 2 sides and the six Liga FUTVE teams that failed to advance to the final stages of the 2026 Apertura tournament were drawn into five groups of four teams each, in which the teams will play each one of their group rivals twice (once at home and once away), with the five group winners and the three best group runners-up advancing to the knockout stage.
The eight teams advancing out of the group stage will be joined in the round of 16 by the eight Liga FUTVE sides that played the final stages of the 2026 Apertura tournament, which received a bye to this round. All the knockout rounds (round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final) were set to be played over two legs, however, due to the temporary suspension of the competition, it was confirmed that the knockout rounds would be played over a single match.
Teams Twenty-eight teams entered this edition of the competition: the fourteen Liga FUTVE teams and fourteen from Liga FUTVE 2. Reserve sides competing in the second-tier league were excluded from the tournament.
Marítimo de La Guaira withdrew from the competition after suspending its operations due to the impact of the 2026 Venezuela earthquakes.
Liga FUTVE
Academia Puerto Cabello Anzoátegui Carabobo Caracas Deportivo La Guaira Deportivo Táchira Estudiantes de Mérida Metropolitanos Monagas Portuguesa Rayo Zuliano Trujillanos Universidad Central Zamora
Liga FUTVE 2
Aragua Atlético Barinas Atlético El Vigía Ávila Barquisimeto Bolívar Deportivo Lara Deportivo Miranda Dynamo Puerto Marítimo de La Guaira Mineros de Guayana Real Frontera Ureña Yaracuyanos
Group stage The group stage began on 24 June and is scheduled to end on 14 October 2026.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Ranking of group runners-up The three best teams among those ranked second in their groups will advance to the knockout stage.
Knockout stage Bracket
Round of 16 The round of 16 matches will be played on 21 October 2026.
See also 2026 Liga FUTVE
Notes
References
External links Official website of the Venezuelan Football Federation