Libertadores: 4 Colombians qualify for the group stage after 5 years

The FPC broke his spell modern and, after 5 years, 4 teams from the rented venue managed to qualify for the group stage of CONMEBOL Libertadores 2026.

The mission was not easy. 50% of the teams were already installed in the group stage. As required by CONMEBOL regulations, Santa Fe and Junior qualified by have been champions in the 2025 tournaments.

The other two places were for Medellín and Tolima, whose position in reclassification placed them in Phase 2. After overcoming two tough keys, the two Colombians slipped into Pot 4 and will be part of the group stage.

This is something that It has not happened since the 2021 editionwhen América de Cali, Independiente Santa Fe, Atlético Nacional and Junior were the qualifiers. Before, in 2018Atlético Nacional, Millonarios, Santa Fe and Junior also repeated this.

From 2005when the modern ‘preliminary phase’ format beganColombia managed to put 4 teams in the group stage only 4 timescounting that of the 2026 edition.

With these results, Colombia was the third country with the most participating teams since the group stagebehind Argentina and Brazil (both with 6).

The draw could be detrimental to the FPC teams: Junior and Santa Fe may share a group with the other two, coming from the Preliminary Phasewhich would force them to compete for places in the round of 16.

When is the Libertadores 2026 draw?

The draw that will be held andThursday March 19starting at 20:00 ARG/URU/CHI/PAR, 18:00 COL/ECU/PERin Luque, Paraguay. The Libertadores draw will be held after the Sudamericana draw.