The 64th edition of South America’s premier club competition has set a start date for the season, with anticipation building across the continent. While the champion of the 2022 edition remains to be declared, details for the 2023 Libertadores Cup, including the kick-off and the knockout round draw, are starting to take shape. Several clubs have already clinched spots for the next continental tournament, but many berths are still to be decided.
Which teams earned qualification for the 2023 Copa Libertadores? The tournament will begin with 47 teams, featuring the champions of South America and the region’s best performers as the field is formed.
WHEN DOES THE 2023 LIBERTADORES CUP START?
The continental competition kicks off on February 7, with the opening rounds and the first three phases scheduled from that date through March 16, setting the stage for a demanding early slate.
LOTTERY
On March 22, organizers will reveal the draw structure for the group stage. The draw proper begins on April 4 and runs through the week of June 29, shaping the eight groups and indicating which teams will face each other in the initial phase. The group assignments are determined in accordance with the CONMEBOL 2022 ranking and policy.
CLASSIFIED TEAMS
CONMEBOL
CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONS
ARGENTINA
BOLIVIA
*Phase 2 participation is confirmed. Phase 1 involvement will be addressed accordingly.
BRAZIL
*Currently advancing in Phase 2.
CHILE
*Currently advancing in Phase 2.
COLOMBIA
*Currently advancing in Phase 2.
ECUADOR
*Phase 2 participation confirmed. Phase 1 involvement noted.
PARAGUAY
*Phase 2 participation confirmed. Phase 1 involvement noted.
PERU
*Phase 2 participation confirmed. Phase 1 involvement noted.
URUGUAY
*Phase 2 participation confirmed. Phase 1 involvement noted.
VENEZUELA
*Phase 2 participation confirmed. Phase 1 involvement noted.
Play-off order will be determined through the qualifying rounds.
DISPUTES FORM
The Copa Libertadores uses the format that has been in place since the tournament became an annual event in 2017. Three direct elimination phases precede a group stage, with 19 teams entering the knockout rounds and four additional clubs joining from the rest. The remaining 28 teams begin in the group stage. The groups are drawn into eight zones of four, with the top two advancing to the Round of 16 and the third-place team moving to the 2023 Copa Sudamericana.
The knockout rounds run as home-and-away legs from the Round of 16 through the semi-finals, while the final is a single match held at a neutral venue, a format kept since 2019.
SCHEDULE AND VENUES
CONMEBOL released the full calendar for 2023, detailing match dates, venues, and the flow of the season.
PRELIMINARY PHASES
Phase 1
Phase 2
- The higher-seeded team will host the first leg in all pairings. Winners advance to the Sudamericana playoff rounds.
- All times are listed in local country time.
Phase 3
GROUP PHASE
The group stage begins on April 5. The final matchday of the group phase is scheduled for the week of June 28, with teams in each group competing for the two advancing spots and potential tiebreakers as needed.
EIGHTH FINALS
The draw for the round of 16 will determine the crossovers, with matches running through early July. The rounds of 16 are played over the weeks of July 19 and July 26.
QUARTERFINALS
The eight remaining teams will compete in the weeks of August 23 and August 30.
SEMI-FINALS
The semi-final ties will take place in the weeks of September 27 and October 4.
SINGLE FINAL
For the fifth year in a row, the final is decided by a single match at a neutral venue chosen by the organizing body. The decisive clash is scheduled for Saturday, November 11.
TELEVISION
VAR
As in prior seasons, CONMEBOL provides video assistant refereeing to all rounds from the round of 16 onward. The system debuted in 2017 and remains in use for 2023.
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