Latin America Sports Daily for Thursday, August 6, 2026

Cruzeiro and Flamengo meet in a heavyweight all-Brazilian Libertadores round of 16

Preview

The tie of the round pits Cruzeiro against Flamengo in a clash of two of Brazil’s biggest fanbases. CONMEBOL confirmed the first leg will be played on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 at 21:30 local time at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte.

Flamengo, who have reached four Libertadores semi-finals in the last seven years, travel to a stadium where Cruzeiro lifted the trophy as recently as 1997. The return leg is set for 19 August at the Maracanã.

Mirassol’s dream Libertadores debut continues against LDU Quito

Preview

Mirassol, the small São Paulo state club playing their first Libertadores campaign, host 2008 champions LDU Quito on Thursday, 13 August at 22:00 BRT. Fox Sports lists the match as a ‘Round of 16 1st Leg’ at the Estádio José Maria de Campos Maia.

LDU were the first Ecuadorian club to win the Libertadores and remain formidable travellers. Mirassol upset Racing and Cerro Porteño in the group stage and now face their toughest test yet.

The full round-of-16 schedule and what comes next

Football

CONMEBOL’s official calendar clusters all eight first legs between 11 and 13 August 2026. Second legs follow exactly one week later, from 18 to 20 August, with any tie level on aggregate decided by a penalty shootout.

Other ties include Fluminense against Argentina’s Independiente Rivadavia on Tuesday evening, and Estudiantes versus Universidad Católica of Ecuador on Tuesday. Deportes Tolima face Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle, another all-Ecuadorian-Colombian duel, also on Tuesday.

The quarter-finals are scheduled for September, keeping the tournament on track for its 28 November final. With the World Cup now over, the Libertadores knockout stage becomes the centre of South American club football.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

When is the Cruzeiro vs Flamengo Libertadores first leg and where can I watch it?

The first leg kicks off on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 at 21:30 Brasília time (00:30 GMT on 13 August) at the Mineirão stadium in Belo Horizonte. Fubo TV’s broadcast schedule confirms it will carry the match as a ‘Round of 16, 1st Leg’ fixture.

What happened to the Copa Libertadores during the World Cup?

The 2026 Copa Libertadores paused entirely for the FIFA World Cup, which ran through June and July across the US, Mexico and Canada. The tournament resumed on 11 August with the round-of-16 first legs, as confirmed by CONMEBOL’s official calendar and The Rio Times.

Who are the favourites to win the 2026 Copa Libertadores?

Flamengo, Palmeiras and River Plate entered the knockout stage as the bookmakers’ favourites, though River were eliminated in the group stage. Flamengo’s clash with Cruzeiro is widely seen as the hardest first-round test for any of the Brazilian contenders.