Where do Unión and Colón stand in the CONMEBOL ranking? | OneFootball

Conmebol has released the club ranking, featuring Colón and Unión, to determine the seeding pots for the Libertadores and Sudamericana draws.

Although neither will participate in continental tournaments in 2026, Colón and Unión appear in the official club ranking published by Conmebol ahead of the formation of the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana seeding pots. El Sabalero is ranked 65th, while El Tatengue is in 91st place, a fact that once again puts Santa Fe on the statistical map of South American football, even though both clubs face very different realities.

The list, released this Tuesday by the governing body of continental football, will be the tool used to organize the teams in the draws for the upcoming international season. Even though it will not have a direct impact on the Santa Fe clubs in 2026, the ranking serves as a historical and sporting thermometer that measures trajectories, performances, and institutional weight.

Colón, better positioned from Primera Nacional

Colón’s case is particular: it occupies the 65th position in the Conmebol ranking despite currently playing in Primera Nacional. The ranking reflects the impact still held by its recent international appearances, especially the 2019 Copa Sudamericana, where it reached the final, as well as other continental presences over the last decade.

This journey allows El Sabalero to remain above numerous clubs that currently compete in the First Division, a clear sign that its recent history still supports its regional standing, even though its current sporting situation finds it outside the local elite.

Unión and a ranking that exposes the challenge

Unión, meanwhile, appears in 91st place in the ranking. El Tatengue pays in the table for the irregularity of its international participations and the lack of deep runs in Conmebol tournaments, despite having qualified in recent years. The result is not surprising, but it does highlight the path the club must take if it aims to consolidate a stronger presence on the continental stage.

The difference between the two Santa Fe clubs in the ranking also serves as an X-ray of their recent journeys abroad, even though both are currently absent from the international calendar.

A ranking with major changes at the top

At the top of the table, the ranking showed significant movements. Palmeiras moved into first place, followed by Flamengo, after the continental final that pitted them against each other and crowned Mengao. River dropped from first to third place, while Boca, absent from the last Libertadores, fell to fourth, although it will remain a seeded team when it competes.

Racing celebrated its entry into the top 10 after climbing to ninth place, driven by its Libertadores campaign and the 2024 Sudamericana title. Estudiantes finished 18th, Lanús 21st, and Vélez 26th, with six Argentine clubs in the top 30, compared to a marked Brazilian dominance, which contributes twelve teams to that group.

The criteria that explain the positions

Conmebol explained that the ranking is based on three pillars: performance in international competitions over the last ten years, historical weight in continental tournaments, and additional recognition for league titles won in each country. Under these parameters, Colón and Unión appear on the list, even without international presence in 2026.

For both, the data does not change the short term, but it does leave a clear message: the name still appears, but the challenge is to make it count on the field again, and not just in the statistics.

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