The 2026 Copa Sudamericana final stages pit 24 teams—group winners and runners-up from the group stage, plus third-placed sides from the Copa Libertadores—against each other in a knockout tournament from July 21 to November 21, 2026. All ties before the final are played over two legs with aggregate scoring and immediate penalty shootouts if tied, while the single-leg grand finale will take place at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla, Colombia. Following the round of 16 draw held on May 29, 2026, the preliminary play-offs (July 21–30) saw clubs like Bolívar, Santa Fe, and Santos advance, while Boca Juniors survived a penalty shootout after a 1–1 aggregate score. In the round of 16 (August 11–26), Boca Juniors cruised to a 7–1 aggregate victory, and Atlético Mineiro and Vasco da Gama also booked their quarterfinal spots with 3–2 and 4–1 wins, respectively. With seeding based on group performance and teams from the same association allowed to clash, the race for the continental title remains wide open as the competition heads toward its November climax in Colombia.