Vasco discover 2026 Copa Sudamericana opponents and fixtures | OneFootball

Vasco has officially learned about its opponents for the group stage of the much-anticipated 2026 Copa Sudamericana. The team, led by coach Renato Gaúcho, was drawn by Conmebol to lead the competitive Group G of the continental tournament.

The Vasco squad will face Olimpia, a traditional club from Paraguay, Audax Italiano, representing Chile, and Barracas Central, an emerging team from Argentina. The football department has already started logistical planning for the trips.

Vasco's grand debut will take place away from home, against Barracas Central, scheduled to occur between April 7 and 9. Performance in these direct confrontations will be crucial to secure immediate qualification for the knockout stage.

+ Vasco may have up to 6 absences during the FIFA Date due to call-ups

Geographical Factor and Advantage Without Altitude

An excellent piece of news for the technical staff concerns the favorable geography of the drawn matches. Vasco will not face the feared altitude ghost throughout the first phase of the Copa Sudamericana.

The away games will occur under completely normal atmospheric conditions. The Estadio Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb, home of Olimpia, is just 43 meters above sea level, and the Estadio Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia, of Barracas Central, is comfortably at 20 meters.

The highest trip on Vasco's agenda will be to face Audax Italiano at the Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida, located at a calm 570 meters. The sequence of matches alternates these visits to neighboring countries with decisive duels at São Januário.

Paraguayan Giant and Historical Record

The main rival in the group is undoubtedly Olimpia, three-time champion of the Copa Libertadores da América. The team leads the Paraguayan Championship and features experienced players in Brazil, such as Derlis González, formerly of Santos, and Rúben Lezcano, formerly of Fluminense.

The president of the foreign club, Rodrigo Nogués, praised the strength of the Rio de Janeiro team after the draw:

The president also emphasized that the Copa Sudamericana is an obsession for the squad coached by Martín Palermo. Interestingly, Vasco has a slim record against the opponent, with only one win and one loss in the 1990 Copa Libertadores.

Unprecedented Challenges and Foreign Legion

The rest of the group presents completely new confrontations for the rich history of Vasco. The Rio de Janeiro club has never crossed paths with Audax Italiano and Barracas Central in official international competitions.

Audax Italiano is betting heavily on a legion of foreigners to try to surprise the group favorites. Coach Gustavo Lema has brought in several players from Argentina, but the main Chilean offensive weapon is the Uruguayan striker Diego Coelho.

Meanwhile, Barracas Central secured its coveted continental spot after Lanús's title. The team, led by veteran Rubén Insúa, features defender Fernando Tobio, formerly of Palmeiras, and young forward Gonzalo Morales, a product of Boca Juniors.

Official Schedule and Million-Dollar Prize

The management sees the continental tournament as a gigantic financial opportunity for the season. The president of Conmebol, Alejandro Domínguez, confirmed the astronomical figures, where the champion will accumulate up to US$ 20 million, exceeding R$ 105 million.

Vasco's focus is to chart the perfect path to the grand final, scheduled for November 21, in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia. The journey towards the trophy begins against Barracas Central (April 7 to 9) and continues with the first game in Brazil against Audax Italiano (April 14 to 16).

The much-anticipated duel against Olimpia closes the first round at home (April 28 to 30). The second round begins with a visit to Audax Italiano (May 5 to 7) and continues against Olimpia in Paraguay (May 19 to 21), ending the group stage against Barracas Central at home (May 26 to 28).

Photo: Publicity

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