The Road To Montevideo: 2026 Copa Libertadores Group Stage Preview | OneFootball

South America’s premier club competitions return this week as the 2026 Copa Libertadores group stages get underway. This road to Montevideo officially starts now, but there has already been plenty of action in the competition, with huge upsets in the qualifying rounds.

Debutantes, 2 de Mayo (Paraguay) and CD Juventud (Uruguay) put in a solid effort to reach the second and third qualification rounds, but ultimately fell short and will have to settle for Sudamericana football instead.

2 de Mayo saw off Alianza Lima of Peru in the first round, before falling to Sporting Cristal.

Juventude went one better by defeating Universidad Catolica and Guarani, before narrowly losing out to Colombian giants, Independiente Medellin.

The biggest talking points from the qualification came in the form of two huge upsets of two Brazilian clubs.

Bahia suffered a penalty shootout loss to O’Higgins, and the 2024 Champions Botafogo were eliminated by Barcelona SC.

Could this be the year where the Brazilian dominance finally comes to an end? Truth being told, Brazilian clubs often start slow in the Libertadores and peak in the latter rounds.

The Favourites

Flamengo

Defending champions Flamengo come into the tournament as favourites, something that has been the case since they lifted the competition for a second time in 2019. Since then, the Rubro-Negro have reached three Libertadores finals, winning two of them in 2022 and 2025.

Despite their recent form in the competition, they have never successfully defended the title, which they will now be aiming to do.

In 1982, they entered the tournament at the semi-final stage, which was a group format at the time, where they were placed with eventual winners Peñarol and River Plate. They finished second in the group, losing both matches to Peñarol and winning two against River. In 2020, they suffered a shock penalty shootout loss to Racing Club of Argentina, and in 2023, it was Paraguayan side Olimpia that stunned the Brazilian giants.

This time around, Flamengo have incredible squad depth to fight on all fronts, meaning they can rotate players while maintaining a strong lineup. They were busy in the recent transfer window, splashing out on Vitão and Lucas Paquetá to add to what was already a very strong squad.

There has been a significant change at Flamengo since the Libertadores victory. Manager Filipe Luís was sacked after being in talks with another club, while also suffering two defeats in the finals of the Supercopa do Brasil and Recopa Sudamericana. However, he did guide them to the Campeonato Carioca title, although he was sacked just days before the final. New manager Leonardo Jardim then came in and guided them over the line to lift the Carioca, as well as making steady progress ot the start of their Brasileirao campaign.

Last year’s player of the season in South America, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, is having a quiet season by his standards, with one goal and one assist. However, Lucas Paquetá, after a slow start, is beginning to pick up form with two goals in his last three matches, including one in the 3–1 victory against Santos at the weekend.

Pedro had an in-and-out season last year with injuries, but still notched up 12 goals and six assists. He has started this season well, with three goals and two assists from nine matches. If he can keep fit, he will be a crucial asset for Flamengo, as will Samuel Lino, who joined from Atlético Madrid last season and has been a threat from the left, adding two goals and one assist from his nine matches.

The defensive duo of Léo Ortiz and Léo Pereira are starting to form an important partnership at the back, which will be crucial, especially in this competition.

Flamengo will have hoped for a slightly better start to their league campaign. Having played nine matches, they have won five, drawn two, and lost two. They currently sit in fourth place and trail league leaders Palmeiras by eight points, with a game in hand.

Palmeiras

For all the achievements and trophies that Abel Ferreira has won during his time at Palmeiras, one of his biggest credits is how long he has been in charge, as he approaches his sixth year at the club. In Brazil, managers don’t often get time, but Ferreira is an exception.

Last season was a slight disappointment for Palmeiras, who missed out on both the Copa Libertadores and the Brasileiro titles. This time, they are hungry for more and eager to go one better in both competitions.

They enter the Libertadores as one of the favourites, and they have started the Brasileiro in fantastic fashion, with eight wins, one draw, and one defeat from their ten matches. They’ve scored more goals than anyone else with 21, whilst conceding just ten in the process.

Verdão haven’t won the Copa Libertadores since 2021, when they beat Flamengo in Montevideo, retaining the title they lifted in 2020, where they saw off fellow Sao Paulo rivals Santos. However, since then, it’s been slightly disappointing for Palmeiras, who suffered defeat to Flamengo in last year’s final in an edgy game. It was a Danilo header that broke the hearts of the Palmeiras fans, as their wait for South America’s top prize stretched to four years.

Verdão were busy in the January transfer window, bringing in Bruno Fuchs, Marlon Freitas and Jhon Arias to add strength and depth to the squad.

There were departures, too. Facundo Torres moved to Austin FC in the MLS, while Aníbal Moreno joined River Plate. Club legend Weverton also left as a free agent to join Grêmio, but his exit hasn’t disrupted Palmeiras as much as expected.

Carlos Miguel has been solid between the sticks, having been there last season when Weverton picked up an injury. He stepped in and played a key role in guiding the side to the Copa Libertadores final, and has continued that form into this campaign, becoming an important figure in the team.

A big loss to Palmeiras’ squad will be left-back Joaquín Piquerez, who suffered ankle ligament damage that will keep him out for the majority of the season, as well as the FIFA World Cup for Uruguay. However, what they do have is a solid defensive partnership in Gustavo Gómez and Murilo. Gómez has been key once again from set-pieces this season, already scoring twice from nine matches.

The main threat and the key to unlocking defences this season for Palmeiras has been Andreas Pereira. In 10 league matches, he has scored once and provided a staggering eight assists. New signing  Jhon Arias had a difficult time in the Premier League with a struggling Wolves side. However, since returning to Brazil, he has found the confidence he showed last season and in the Club World Cup for Fluminense. He has three goals in just 511 minutes for his new club. The tricky winger is always a pleasure to watch.

As always, one of the key standouts is Vitor Roque, who has three goals from six matches, in just 271 minutes of football. His high energy and work rate add more than just goals. He spearheaded Athletico Paranaense to the Copa Libertadores final in 2022 and also played a key role in Palmeiras reaching the final last season. He will now be hoping to make it three finals, and this time he will be hoping it’s third time lucky.

Outsiders

Cruzeiro are listed as the third favourites coming into the tournament. However, they desperately need to improve their form if they’re going to stand any chance of getting out of the group stage.

Their start to 2026 has been diabolical. At least in the Brasileirao, they did win the Campeonato Mineiro. However, their league form has seen them win just once in 10 matches, whilst conceding 20 times and scoring only 12 goals, giving them a goal difference of -8, the worst in the division.

Manager Tite was sacked, and new manager Artur Jorge has just come in and hasn’t exactly improved things so far.

In Brazil, you don’t get much time to turn things around, and after a 4–1 defeat to São Paulo at the weekend, pressure will already be on the Portuguese coach.

One player who’s worth keeping an eye on is Kaiki, the left-back who was very impressive last season. He was one of Cruzeiro’s best performers in the Mineiro, which earned him a place in the Brazil national team.

Kaio Jorge is also there and has scored twice already this season in six matches, and will be key for Raposa.

Fluminense are probably a better option than Cruzeiro if you’re looking at the best of the rest. They’ve had a solid start to the season in the Brasileirão and have been placed in a favourable group.

Their start to 2026 has been very good, as they sit third in the league standings after 10 matches. They’ve won six, drawn two, and lost two, scoring 17 and conceding just 11 in the process. They did reach the final of the Campeonato Carioca, but suffered a heartbreaking defeat to rivals Flamengo.

One of the key assets this season has been Hércules, who has been a strong performer. He’s struggled with injuries in recent seasons, but has started this campaign in great form, scoring three times from midfield. More of a box-to-box type, he’s now adding goals to his game.

Agustín Canobbio, who played for Uruguay in a recent friendly against England, has also impressed and has three goals to his name. Meanwhile, new signing and returning forward, John Kennedy, has started the season well, scoring four times in nine matches.

Outside of Brazil, Boca Juniors are the favourites among the non-Brazilian sides. The Argentinian giants will be hoping to go one better than they did in 2023, where they suffered defeat to Fluminense in the final in Rio de Janeiro.

2026 has been relatively kind to them, especially after a bizarre 2025. They’re currently on a nine-match unbeaten run, giving them a strong platform heading into the start of the competition.

Their top scorer this season is Uruguayan Miguel Merentiel, who has four goals in nine matches, adding to what was already a solid campaign last year, where he scored 13.

They also have a vastly experienced squad, with the likes of Ander Herrera, Leandro Paredes and Edinson Cavani all over 30, bringing the experience needed in these types of competitions.

Tomás Aranda is an 18-year-old who has featured heavily for the side this season. The midfielder has one goal to his name as he continues to find his feet in senior football.

Teams to keep an eye on

Lanús won last season’s Copa Sudamericana and therefore qualified for the Copa Libertadores. They will be eager to go one better and pick up their first Libertadores title.

Independiente del Valle have also been very successful in the Copa Sudamericana in recent years and always tend to punch above their weight. They will be hoping to lift their first Libertadores title as well.

Mirassol are making their debut in the competition after an amazing season last year. However, they are struggling this time around, sitting bottom of the Brasileirao at present. A different competition, with fresh ideas, may be exactly what they need to spark their season.

Rosario Central have Ángel Di María in their ranks and are always a tough place to go for opposition.

Independiente Medellín have an 19-year-old midfielder in Halam Loboa who is very exciting to watch. He operates in a holding role, likes to dribble out of possession, and is strong defensively, winning the ball back. He will be worth keeping an eye on as he continues to develop.

Barcelona Guayaquil knocked out Brazilian side Botafogo in qualifying and, like their Ecuadorian counterparts Independiente del Valle, always manage to punch above their weight and create upsets. They will certainly be worth keeping an eye on once again.

Corinthians are the Brazilian Cup champions and have the likes of Jesse Lingard, Yuri Alberto and Memphis Depay. Although Lingard hasn’t exactly hit the ground running, both he and the side are still adapting, and they are likely to be challenging in the latter stages of the competition once they begin to gel.