The 2027 Copa Libertadores is beginning to take shape, with 11 teams already qualified for the tournament. The competition will feature 28 direct places in the group stage, while the remaining four berths will be decided through the preliminary phase.
Boca Juniors became the latest team to qualify after defeating River Plate 1-0 at La Bombonera on Sunday. The result secured Boca one of the top three positions in the overall Argentine league table, one of the country’s qualification criteria.
In Brazil, Flamengo and Palmeiras have already mathematically secured places in the group stage with five rounds remaining in the Brazilian Championship. Flamengo leads with 73 points, while Palmeiras has 70. Brazil’s fifth group-stage place will go to the winner of the Copa do Brasil. The fifth-placed team in the league and the Copa do Brasil runner-up will enter the preliminary phase.
The 11 teams already qualified are Flamengo and Palmeiras from Brazil; Belgrano and Boca Juniors from Argentina; Junior Barranquilla from Colombia; Independiente del Valle from Ecuador; Olimpia from Paraguay; Alianza Lima from Peru; and Carabobo, Deportivo Táchira and Metropolitanos from Venezuela.
Flamengo, Palmeiras, Belgrano, Junior Barranquilla, Independiente del Valle, Olimpia, Alianza Lima and Metropolitanos are listed for the group stage. Boca Juniors, Carabobo and Deportivo Táchira have qualified but do not yet have a confirmed entry stage.
Boca still needs to secure a group-stage place. The club can achieve that by finishing among the top two in the overall table or by winning one of the titles still available in Argentina: the Torneo Clausura, for which it has qualified for the knockout stage, or the Copa Argentina, where it has reached the semifinals. Boca is also set to play Atlético-MG in the Copa Sudamericana final, another route to the Libertadores group stage.
Boca is the second Argentine team to qualify after Belgrano, winner of the Campeonato Argentino’s Torneo Apertura. Argentina currently has five direct places and one preliminary-phase berth, while Brazil has five direct places and two spots in the qualifying rounds.
The two countries will contest two additional qualification battles. Boca and Atlético-MG will meet in the Copa Sudamericana final, while Palmeiras and Estudiantes will decide the Copa Libertadores title.
Sources: Globo Esporte.