Qualification Most teams qualify for the Copa Libertadores by winning half-year tournaments called the
Apertura and Clausura tournaments or by finishing among the top teams in their championship. Peru, Uruguay and Mexico formerly used a second tournament to decide qualification for the Libertadores (the "Liguilla Pre-Libertadores" between 1992 and 1997, the "Liguilla Pre-Libertadores de América" from 1974 to 2009, and the
InterLiga from 2004 to 2010, respectively). For the
2019 edition, the different stages of the competition were contested by the following teams: The winners of the previous season's Copa Libertadores are given an additional entry to the group stage even if they do not qualify for the tournament through their domestic performance; however, if the title holders qualify for the tournament through their domestic performance, an additional entry is granted to the next eligible team, "replacing" the titleholder.
Rules Unlike most other football competitions around the world, the Copa Libertadores historically did not use
extra time, or
away goals. From 1960 to 1987, two-legged ties were decided on points (teams would be awarded 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss), without considering goal differences. If both teams were level on points after two legs, a third match would be played at a neutral venue. Goal difference would only come into play if the third match was drawn. If the third match did not produce an outright winner, a
penalty shootout was used to determine a winner. From 1988 onwards, two-legged ties were decided on points, followed by goal difference, with an immediate penalty shootout if the tie was level on aggregate after full-time in the second leg. Starting with the 2005 season, CONMEBOL began to use the away goals rule. In 2008, the finals became an exception to the away goals rule and employed extra time. From 1995 onwards, the "
Three points for a win" standard, a system adopted by FIFA in 1995 that places additional value on wins, was adopted in CONMEBOL, with teams now earning 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.
Tournament The current tournament features 47 clubs competing over a six- to eight-month period. There are three stages: the first, the second and the knockout stage. The first stage involves 12 clubs in a series of two-legged knockout ties. The six survivors join 26 clubs in the second stage, in which they are divided into eight groups of four. The teams in each group play in a double round-robin format, with each team playing home and away games against every other team in their group. The top two teams from each group are then drawn into the knockout stage, which consists of two-legged knockout ties. From that point, the competition proceeds with two-legged knockout ties to quarterfinals, semifinals, and the finals. Between 1960 and 1987 the previous winners did not enter the competition until the semifinal stage, making it much easier to retain the cup. Between 1960 and 2004, the winner of the tournament participated in the now-defunct
Intercontinental Cup or (after 1980) Toyota Cup, a football competition endorsed by
UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested against the winners of the
European Cup (since renamed the UEFA Champions League) Since 2004, the winner has played in the
Club World Cup, an international competition contested by the champion clubs from all six continental confederations. It is organized by the
Fédération Internationale de Football Association (
FIFA), the sport's global governing body. Because Europe and South America are considered the strongest centers of the sport, the champions of those continents enter the tournament at the semifinal stage. The winning team also qualifies to play in the Recopa Sudamericana, a two-legged final series against the winners of the
Copa Sudamericana. == Prizes ==