When Boca and River could meet in the Copa Sudamericana

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La Número 12

·29 Mei 2026

When Boca and River could meet in the Copa Sudamericana

Boca were eliminated from the Copa Libertadores and dropped into the Sudamericana. The Xeneize will have to play the playoff round of the continent’s second competition against O'Higgins, and then a Superclásico against River could happen if they make it to the next stage, where their lifelong rival is already qualified.

The pots for the Copa Sudamericana round of 16 draw are now set. While the team from La Ribera will have to face O'Higgins in the playoff round, the shadow of their biggest rival is already looming on the horizon. River Plate did their job in their group, finished top, and earned a privileged spot in the draw.

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According to the official CONMEBOL competition regulations, there is a real possibility that we could have a Superclásico very soon, but everything will depend on luck and what the draw decides.

Boca and River could face each other in the Sudamericana.

The most immediate scenario

The earliest possible meeting between Boca and River could happen in the very next round: the round of 16. To understand why, you have to look at the draw format:

Pot 1: Made up of the eight teams that finished first in their Sudamericana groups. River Plate are here.
Pot 2: Made up of the eight winners of the playoff ties. This includes “Winner D,” which will come from the Boca vs. O'Higgins matchup.

The regulations state that in the round of 16, a team from Pot 1 must face a team from Pot 2. Since it is a completely open draw with no country restrictions, River’s ball could absolutely be paired with Boca’s bracket.

If the draw puts them against each other, there will be a Superclásico in the round of 16. In that case, there is a key regulatory detail: since they come from Pot 1 (after winning their group), River would have the sporting advantage of playing the second leg at home. Therefore, the first leg would be played at La Bombonera and the second in Núñez.

The Xeneize will first have to get past O'Higgins in a two-legged tie.

If they don’t meet in the round of 16: how the bracket is set up

If the draw decides that Boca (if they get past O'Higgins) and River will face different opponents in the round of 16, the possibility of a Superclásico will remain alive, but its timing will depend exclusively on how the final bracket is set up during that same draw.

Once the balls for the round of 16 are drawn, the path to the final is fixed. From that point on, there are three possible scenarios:

Quarterfinals or Semifinals: If the draw places them on the same side of the bracket (the same “path”), they could meet in these rounds as long as both keep advancing and knock out their respective opponents. In these stages, hosting rights for the second leg are determined by seeding (group-stage performance), where River (the second-best group winner) would have the advantage of closing at home against Boca.
The Grand Final: If the draw places them on opposite sides of the bracket, the Superclásico could only happen in the title-deciding match. It should be remembered that the Sudamericana final is played as a single match at a neutral stadium previously designated by CONMEBOL.