Corinthians get 2026 Women's Libertadores rules; format, entries, payouts | OneFootball

Corinthians already knows the main rules it will face in the quest for another Women’s Libertadores title. Conmebol has released the regulations for the 2026 edition, which will be held in Quito, Ecuador, from October 15 to 31, bringing together 16 clubs to compete for the continent’s top trophy in the sport.

As the reigning champion, Timão enters the tournament with its place secured and will also have a privileged position in the group stage draw. The regulations also set the criteria for player registration, possible replacements during the competition, delegation composition, and the prize money for the top three teams.

Photo: Federico Peretti/Getty Images

The 2026 edition will be held later compared to last year. In 2025, the Women’s Libertadores took place between October 2 and 18.

Libertadores will have 16 participants

Conmebol has kept the tournament at 16 teams. Ten spots are reserved for representatives of the associations that make up the entity, while another four are distributed according to the historical ranking. The two remaining places belong to the current continental champion and the country hosting the competition.

So far, 12 teams have been confirmed. Brazilian football will be represented by Corinthians, Palmeiras, and Cruzeiro. Belgrano of Argentina; Colo Colo and Universidad de Chile of Chile; Independiente del Valle and LDU of Ecuador; Libertad and Olimpia of Paraguay; Universitario of Peru; and Nacional of Uruguay have also qualified.

The remaining four spots will be filled after the national competitions in Bolivia, Colombia, and Venezuela are decided.

Corinthians will be a top seed

The groups will be defined by a Conmebol draw during the month of September, though no specific date has yet been announced.

As the current Women’s Libertadores champion, Corinthians will automatically take the first position in Group A. Independiente del Valle, Ecuador’s national champion and the host country’s representative for this edition, will be the top seed in Group B.

The two associations with the best performance in the previous edition will determine the top seeds for Groups C and D. A draw will decide which group each team will be placed in.

In total, there will be four pots with four clubs each. The teams in the first pot will determine the top seeds, while the other pots will fill, respectively, the second, third, and fourth positions in the groups.

How the Women’s Libertadores will be played

The first stage will consist of four groups with four teams each. Within each group, everyone plays each other once, meaning each club will play three matches.

At the end of the three rounds, the top two teams in each group will advance to the quarterfinals.

From that stage on, there will be no second-leg chance to recover. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be knockout rounds until the two finalists are decided. The teams defeated in the semifinals will still play for third place.

The competition will end on October 31 with the crowning of the 2026 champion.

Corinthians may register 23 players

Each club may bring an official delegation of up to 31 members. Of that total, 23 spots will be for players and eight for technical staff members.

The lists must be submitted to Conmebol by September 15 at 6 p.m., according to Paraguay time.

Among the 23 players, each team must include at least 16 outfield players and two goalkeepers. To take part in the Libertadores, registered players must also be at least 16 years old by December 31, 2026.

There are also requirements for the eight technical staff members. The delegation must include a head coach, assistant coach, doctor, and head of delegation. In addition, at least two of the eight technical staff positions must be filled by women.

Regulations allow changes in specific situations

After the registration list is submitted, substitutions may take place in cases of serious injury or illness. For this to happen, the issue must be proven and approved by Conmebol’s Medical Commission.

In these situations, an outfield player may be replaced up to 48 hours before the start of the Women’s Libertadores.

There is a different condition for goalkeepers. If a goalkeeper suffers an injury considered serious and the situation is certified by the entity’s Medical Commission, the replacement may take place at any point during the competition. The change, however, will be permanent.

Champion will receive US$ 2 million

In addition to the continental trophy, the Women’s Libertadores will distribute prize money to the three teams that finish in the top positions.

The champion will receive US$ 2 million, approximately R$ 10.3 million at the exchange rate used in the published regulations, as well as the trophy and 31 gold medals.

The runner-up will receive US$ 600,000, about R$ 3.1 million, and 31 silver medals. The third-place team will be entitled to US$ 250,000, approximately R$ 1.2 million, as well as 31 bronze medals.

Corinthians once again chases Eternal Glory

With its place secured and its position set as the top seed of Group A, Corinthians now awaits the draw to find out its first opponents on the continental journey.

Until then, another important deadline will be September 15, when the club must submit to Conmebol the list of players and technical staff members for the competition in Quito.

The 2026 Women’s Libertadores begins on October 15 and will have its final on the 31st of the same month. As the reigning champion, Timão heads to Ecuador once again among the Brazilian representatives in search of the continental trophy.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.