2017 Copa Libertadores
| 2017 Copa Bridgestone Libertadores de América | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Dates | late January or early February – late November or early December 2017 |
| Teams | 44 (from 11 associations) |
← 2016 2018 → | |
The 2017 Copa Libertadores de América (officially the 2017 Copa Bridgestone Libertadores for sponsorship reasons)[1] will be the 58th edition of the Copa Libertadores de América, South America's premier club football tournament organized by CONMEBOL.
The winners of the 2017 Copa Libertadores will qualify as the CONMEBOL representative at the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (if a team from Mexico wins the Copa Libertadores, the best-placed team from South America will qualify), and also earn the right to play against the winners of the 2017 Copa Sudamericana in the 2018 Recopa Sudamericana. Atlético Nacional are the defending champions.
Format changes
Starting from this season, the following format changes will be implemented:[2][3][4][5][6][7]
- The tournament will be expanded from 38 to 44 teams.
- A total of 10 teams eliminated from the Copa Libertadores (eight third-placed teams in the group stage and two best teams eliminated in the qualifying phase) will be transferred to the Copa Sudamericana.
- The schedule of the tournament will be extended to year-round so it will start in late January or early February and conclude in late November or early December.
- Teams from Mexico will no longer be considered as invitees and become "full members of the Copa Libertadores".
Although CONMEBOL proposed to change the format of the final to be played as a single match at a venue to be chosen in advance, they later decided to keep the two-legged home-and-away format.[8]
Teams
The following 44 teams from 11 associations (the 10 CONMEBOL members plus Mexico) qualified for the tournament:[3]
- Copa Libertadores champion
- Copa Sudamericana champion
- Brazil: 7 berths
- Argentina: 6 berths
- Chile and Colombia: 4 berths each
- All other associations: 3 berths each
Starting from 2017, an additional six berths are distributed to the Copa Sudamericana champion (which no longer occupies one of the places allocated to their association and is now allocated an additional berth), two to Brazil, and one each to Argentina, Chile and Colombia, based on commercial and sporting criteria.[3]
The entry stage is determined as follows:[2]
- Group stage: 28 teams
- Copa Libertadores champion
- Copa Sudamericana champion
- Teams which qualified for berths 1–4 from Argentina and Brazil
- Teams which qualified for berths 1–2 from all other associations
- First stage: 16 teams
- Teams which qualified for berths 5–7 from Brazil
- Teams which qualified for berths 5–6 from Argentina
- Teams which qualified for berths 3–4 from Chile and Colombia
- Teams which qualified for berths 3 from all other associations
Starting from 2017, the Copa Libertadores champion (which no longer occupies one of the group stage places allocated to their association) and the Copa Sudamericana champion gain direct entries into the group stage, meaning a total of 28 teams (increased from 26) directly enter the group stage, while for the qualifying stages, a total of 16 teams (increased from 12) compete in two rounds where the four winners (decreased from six) advance to the group stage.[2]
| Association | Team (Berth) | Entry stage | Qualification method |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | (Copa Sudamericana) | Group stage | 2016 Copa Sudamericana champion |
 Argentina6 berths |
Lanús (Argentina 1) | Group stage | 2016 Primera División champion[9] |
| San Lorenzo (Argentina 2) | 2016 Primera División runner-up[9] | ||
| Estudiantes (Argentina 3) | 2016 Primera División Copa Libertadores playoff winner[9] | ||
| Godoy Cruz (Argentina 4) | 2016 Primera División Copa Libertadores playoff loser[9] | ||
| (Argentina 5) | First stage | 2015–16 Copa Argentina champion (or best team not yet qualified)[9] | |
| (Argentina 6) | TBC | ||
 Bolivia3 berths |
Sport Boys (Bolivia 1) | Group stage | 2015 Apertura champion[10] |
| Jorge Wilstermann (Bolivia 2) | 2016 Clausura champion[10] | ||
| The Strongest (Bolivia 3) | First stage | 2015–16 Primera División aggregate table best team not yet qualified[10] | |
 Brazil7 berths |
(Brazil 1) | Group stage | 2016 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A champion[11] |
| (Brazil 2) | 2016 Copa do Brasil champion[11] | ||
| (Brazil 3) | 2016 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A runner-up[11] | ||
| (Brazil 4) | 2016 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 3rd place[11] | ||
| (Brazil 5) | First stage | 2016 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 4th place[11] | |
| (Brazil 6) | 2016 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 5th place[11] | ||
| (Brazil 7) | 2016 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 6th place[11] | ||
 Chile4 berths |
Universidad Católica (Chile 1) | Group stage | 2016 Clausura champion[12] |
| (Chile 2) | 2016 Apertura champion[13] | ||
| (Chile 3) | First stage | 2016 Copa Chile champion[13] | |
| (Chile 4) | Winner Match of the Runner-up | ||
 Colombia4 + 1 berths |
Atlético Nacional (Copa Libertadores) | Group stage | 2016 Copa Libertadores champion |
| Independiente Medellín (Colombia 1) | 2016 Apertura champion[14] | ||
| (Colombia 2) | 2016 Finalización champion[14] | ||
| (Colombia 3) | First stage | 2016 Primera A aggregate table best team not yet qualified[14] | |
| (Colombia 4) | TBC | ||
 Ecuador3 berths |
(Ecuador 1)[Note ECU] | Group stage | 2016 Serie A champion[15] |
| (Ecuador 2)[Note ECU] | 2016 Serie A runner-up[15] | ||
| (Ecuador 3) | First stage | 2016 Serie A aggregate table best team not yet qualified[15] | |
 Mexico3 berths |
(Mexico 1) | Group stage | 2016 Apertura classification table best team not qualified for 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League |
| (Mexico 2) | 2016 Apertura classification table 2nd best team not qualified for 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League | ||
| Guadalajara (Mexico 3) | First stage | 2016 Supercopa MX champion | |
 Paraguay3 berths |
(Paraguay 1)[Note PAR] | Group stage | 2016 tournament (2016 Apertura or 2016 Clausura) champion with better record in aggregate table[16] |
| (Paraguay 2)[Note PAR] | 2016 tournament (2016 Apertura or 2016 Clausura) champion with worse record in aggregate table[16] | ||
| (Paraguay 3) | First stage | 2016 Primera División aggregate table best team not yet qualified[16] | |
 Peru3 berths |
(Peru 1) | Group stage | 2016 Descentralizado champion[17] |
| (Peru 2) | 2016 Descentralizado runner-up[17] | ||
| (Peru 3) | First stage | 2016 Descentralizado 3rd place[17] | |
 Uruguay3 berths |
Peñarol (Uruguay 1) | Group stage | 2015–16 Primera División champion[18] |
| Nacional (Uruguay 2) | 2015–16 Primera División aggregate table best team not yet qualified[18] | ||
| Cerro (Uruguay 3) | First stage | 2015–16 Primera División aggregate table 2nd best team not yet qualified[18] | |
 Venezuela3 berths |
(Venezuela 1)[Note VEN] | Group stage | 2016 Primera División champion[19] |
| (Venezuela 2)[Note VEN] | 2016 Primera División runner-up[19] | ||
| (Venezuela 3) | First stage | 2016 Primera División aggregate table best team not yet qualified[19] |
- Notes
- Ecuador (ECU): Barcelona (2016 first stage winner) may earn the Ecuador 1 or Ecuador 2 berth.
- Paraguay (PAR): Libertad (2016 Apertura champion) may earn the Paraguay 1 or Paraguay 2 berth.
- Venezuela (VEN): Zamora (2016 Apertura winner) may earn the Venezuela 1 or Venezuela 2 berth.
See also
References
- ^ "Bridgestone es el nuevo patrocinador de la Libertadores" (in Spanish). Pasión Fútbol. December 3, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Conmebol informa detalles adicionales sobre reforma de Copa Libertadores y Copa Sudamericana". CONMEBOL.com. 3 October 2016.
- ^ a b c "Conmebol ratifica calendario anual para Copa Libertadores y Copa Sudamericana". CONMEBOL.com. 3 October 2016.
- ^ "Comunicado de CONMEBOL sobre torneos de clubes". CONMEBOL.com. 27 September 2016.
- ^ "What to know about the significant changes and new format for the Copa Libertadores". CBS Sports. 27 September 2016.
- ^ ""Invitación por criterio técnico": Boca y River podrían jugar la Copa Libertadores 2017". La Nacion. 27 September 2016.
- ^ "La Libertadores tendrá más semanas y más equipos". El Sol de Mexico. 27 September 2016.
- ^ "Conmebol confirma final ida y vuelta para Copa Libertadores 2017". CONMEBOL.com. 4 October 2016.
- ^ a b c d e "Reglamento del Campeonato de Primera División 2016" (PDF) (in Spanish). AFA.
- ^ a b c "L.F.P.B.: El campeón del Apertura irá a la Libertadores 2017". elpaisonline.com. 3 December 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Campeonato Brasileiro da Série A de 2016 REC - REGULAMENTO ESPECÍFICO DA COMPETIÇÃO" (PDF). CBF.
- ^ "Bases Campeonato Nacional Primera División 2015-2016" (PDF) (in Spanish). ANFP.
- ^ a b "Bases Campeonato Nacional Primera División 2016-2017" (PDF) (in Spanish). ANFP.
- ^ a b c "Reglamentación Liga Águila 2016" (PDF) (in Spanish). DIMAYOR.
- ^ a b c "Reglamento del Comité Ejecutivo de fútbol Profesional" (PDF) (in Spanish). FEF.
- ^ a b c "Reglamento del Campeonato Oficial Año 2015" (PDF) (in Spanish). APF.
- ^ a b c "Bases del Torneo Descentralizado 2016" (PDF) (in Spanish). ADFP.
- ^ a b c "Reglamento de Primera División" (PDF) (in Spanish). AUF.
- ^ a b c "Comisión de Torneos Nacionales Normas Reguladoras de Primera División Temporada 2016" (PDF) (in Spanish). FVF.