BRAZIL · ARGENTINA · FOOTBALL
Published Wednesday 21 October, 9:06 p.m. ET (10:06 p.m. Montevideo) · Source: ESPN match data, beIN SPORTS
Atlético Mineiro, the Brazilian club from Belo Horizonte, will play Argentina’s Boca Juniors in the Copa Sudamericana final, even though it lost 2-0 at Montevideo City Torque on Wednesday 21 October. The return leg at the Estadio Centenario kicked off at 6:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. Montevideo), and Atlético went through 3-2 on aggregate.
Boca, the Buenos Aires club, reached the final a day earlier. The one-match decider is on Saturday 21 November in Barranquilla, Colombia: see our Copa Sudamericana final 2026 guide for the date, tickets and TV.
Key Facts
- —Result Montevideo City Torque 2, Atlético Mineiro 0. Atlético won the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
- —Final Atlético Mineiro v Boca Juniors, Saturday 21 November, Barranquilla, Colombia.
- —Kick-off Not announced yet. From 1 November, Barranquilla keeps the same clock time as New York.
- —Watch in the US beIN SPORTS holds the US rights. The channel for the final is not announced.
- —At stake Champion US$10 million, runner-up US$2.5 million, and a 2027 Libertadores place.
- —Prediction markets Polymarket, 9:03 p.m. ET, 21 October: Atlético 51.0%, Boca 39.5% (US$12,582 traded).
This story is part of our coverage of the Copa Sudamericana final 2026. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
In plain English
The Copa Sudamericana is the second-tier club tournament of South America, below the Copa Libertadores. Semi-finals are played over two matches, and the team with the higher total score goes through, which is why Atlético advanced after losing the second one.
How Atlético Survived a Late Scare
Atlético arrived in Montevideo with a 3-0 lead from the first leg, played in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday 14 October. City Torque, the Uruguayan club that was the surprise of the tournament, needed to win by four goals to go through.
Ecuadorian Alan Franco was sent off for a second yellow card with about 15 minutes left, and Atlético finished with ten men. The match was played in heavy rain, beIN SPORTS reported.
Kevin Silva then scored for City Torque from inside the box late in the game. Gary Kagelmacher then headed in a second goal in stoppage time.
One more goal would have levelled the tie at 3-3 and forced a decider. The final whistle came before City Torque could find it.
Who Boca Meet in the Final
Boca beat Vasco da Gama 3-1 at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday 20 October, after losing the first leg 1-0 at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires. They won the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
Boca won this trophy in 2004 and 2005 and have six Copa Libertadores titles. Atlético won the Libertadores in 2013. Franco’s red card means he misses the final, Infobae and La Tercera reported.
The Final in Barranquilla
The final is a single match at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla on Saturday 21 November. The winner collects US$10 million and the runner-up US$2.5 million, according to prize figures reported by beIN SPORTS.
The champion also qualifies for the 2027 Copa Libertadores. CONMEBOL, South America’s football confederation, has not yet published the kick-off time.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket’s “Copa Sudamericana 2026 Winner” market, Atlético Mineiro traded at 51.0% and Boca Juniors at 39.5% at 9:03 p.m. ET on Wednesday 21 October. About US$12,582 had been traded, and the market still listed eliminated Vasco da Gama at 1.5%, so prices were still settling.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for US Readers
The final is one match, so US fans have a single date to plan around: Saturday 21 November. Anyone travelling to Barranquilla should book refundable flights and hotels until the kick-off time is published.
What Is Not Known
CONMEBOL has not published the kick-off time, the ticket sale dates or the US channel for the final. CONMEBOL had not published a formal ruling on Franco’s suspension in the reports we reviewed.
Sources differ by a minute on the time of Silva’s goal, 88th or 89th, so we say only that it came late. More Brazilian club news is on our Brazil page.
More: Argentina news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will play in the Copa Sudamericana final 2026?
Atlético Mineiro of Brazil will play Boca Juniors of Argentina. Atlético beat Montevideo City Torque 3-2 on aggregate, and Boca beat Vasco da Gama 3-2 on aggregate.
When and where is the Copa Sudamericana final?
The final is on Saturday 21 November 2026 at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla, Colombia. The kick-off time has not been announced.
What was the score between City Torque and Atlético Mineiro?
Montevideo City Torque won the second leg 2-0 on Wednesday 21 October, with goals from Kevin Silva and Gary Kagelmacher. Atlético won the tie 3-2 on aggregate after a 3-0 first leg.
How can I watch the Copa Sudamericana final in the US?
beIN SPORTS holds the US rights to the competition. The channel for the final has not been announced, so check beIN SPORTS listings closer to the date.
How much prize money does the Copa Sudamericana winner get?
The champion receives US$10 million and the runner-up US$2.5 million, according to prize figures reported by beIN SPORTS. The winner also qualifies for the 2027 Copa Libertadores.
Sources: ESPN match data, Montevideo City Torque v Atlético Mineiro (21 October 2026); beIN SPORTS, match summary; Lance!, final defined; Gazeta Esportiva, date and venue; brasileirao.com.br; Noticias RCN, CONMEBOL prize money; CONMEBOL; Polymarket (all accessed 21 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief