The 2026 Copa Sudamericana final will take place on Thursday night, with Argentinian side Lanus taking on Brazilian side Flamengo in the first leg.
The competition is unique in that it replicates the historic Copa Libertadores format, with the final played over two legs.
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The Recopa Sudamericana remains the only competition that still adheres to the traditional two-leg final format, retaining a piece of South American football history in an era that has shifted to one-off showcase events.
The last time the two sides met was in the 2012 Copa Libertadores. In the first match of the group stage, Lanus drew 1-1 with Flamengo, and then the Rio de Janeiro team defeated Flamengo 3-0 away from home.
However, despite a convincing win, Flamengo were eliminated in the group stages and failed to progress further in the competition.
Lanus, meanwhile, advanced to the knockout rounds but were eliminated by Flamengo’s arch-rivals Vasco da Gama and lost on penalties in the next stage.
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Lanus
Lanus lifted the Copa Sudamericana and reached the Copa Sudamericana final. They finished first in the group stage and then eliminated Central Cordoba, Fluminense and Universidad de Chile to reach the finals.
In the final, they faced Atlético Mineiro, and after a tense and cautious match that ended 0-0, Lanus won 5-4 on penalties. The game lacked quality in front of the goal but was brought to life by the raucous atmosphere created by Asunción’s passionate Argentinian and Brazilian fans.
In 2026, Lanus played 6 games, with 3 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss. However, their recent form is not as good as expected, with 2 draws and 1 loss in the last three games.
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In this game, they faced Independiente and lost 0-2. They lost two goals in a row in the second half and their performance was frustrating.
Lanus participated in this event after winning the South American Cup in 2013. That time, they faced Atlético Mineiro in the Copa Sudamericana, but lost 5-3 on aggregate after overtime.
It was a hard-fought match, but in the end Brazil’s strength proved decisive, denying Lanus the chance to add another continental title to their history.
Despite this, Lanus have beaten Vasco da Gama to top the group and defeated Fluminense in last season’s Copa Sudamericana and are confident of reaching the final. They now hope to add Flamengo to that list and further build on the club’s already historic run.
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Lanus team news
Lanus have rested several key players in recent games, with Marcelino Moreno and Rodrigo Castillo both resting against Independiente as the club prioritizes their pursuit of trophies.
Both players are expected to return to the starting XI, with head coach Mauricio Pellegrino having an almost full squad at his disposal.
The only one missing is Raúl Loaiza, who is still recovering from a knee injury.
Flamenco
Flamengo are currently the reigning Copa Libertadores champions and have secured a spot in the competition. They also participated in the 2025 Intercontinental Cup, where they were defeated on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain.
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However, the start of 2026 didn’t quite go as planned. They failed miserably in the Brazilian Super Cup, losing 2-0 to Corinthians in Brasilia. They also had a worse start to the league than expected, losing their first game 2-1 to Sao Paulo before a frustrating 1-1 draw with Internacional.
They had some redemption in their third league game, showing signs of improvement with a 2-1 win away at Victoria.
Recently, Flamengo defeated their rival Botafogo 2-1 to advance to the semi-finals of the Carioca League. Goals from Lucas Paqueta, the most expensive signing in Brazilian football history, and Eric Pulgar sealed an important victory and provided a timely confidence boost ahead of the Copa Sudamericana final.
In 2025, the Rossoneri advanced through the group stages of the Copa Libertadores, finishing narrowly second in Group C ahead of Argentinian side Central Cordoba on goal difference.
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They then defeated the International, College and Athletic teams in the knockout rounds to reach the finals.
In the final, they faced Palmeiras in Lima and won 1-0, with Danilo’s decisive header proving the point and once again sealing Flamengo’s status as South American champions.
Flamengo have a good record against Argentinian opposition. In 76 games against the Argentinian team, they achieved 33 wins, 23 draws and 20 losses.
Flamengo previously won the 2020 South American Cup, defeating Valle Independiente with a total score of 5-2.
However, in the 2023 edition, Valley Independiente got their revenge. In the end, the two teams tied with a total score of 1-1, and the Ecuadorian team won through a penalty shootout.
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flamengo team news
Flamengo received some positive injury news ahead of the game. Pedro complained of feeling unwell after the recent game against Carioca and has been ruled out for any serious injury and is available for Felipe Luis.
Uruguayan defender Guillermo Barrera also provided another boost after returning from an ankle injury.
Jorginho and Saul remain the only players from the Redblacks who are unavailable as they continue to recover.