Asunción -
Conmebol increases number of players for Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana
The Conmebol decided on Thursday, in a video conference meeting, to increase the number of registered players from 30 to 40 in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, as well as make some changes to the Copa America 2021 in order to reduce travel between venues.
There will be two groups of six teams each. Ecuador is part of the Northern Zone with Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, and invited guest Qatar. The Southern Zone consists of the rest of the South American teams plus Australia.
Bogotá will be the host city for the Ecuadorian team in four out of five initial phase matches. They will face Colombia (June 12), Qatar (June 17), Venezuela (June 20), Peru (June 23, in Cali), and Brazil (June 28, back in Bogotá).
The changes made in the upcoming Copa America, which will be held in Argentina and Colombia, will allow "reducing travel between venues and increasing resting days for teams qualified between the group stage and the quarterfinals," determined the South American organization in a statement.
The opening is scheduled for June 11 in Buenos Aires, while the final will take place in the Colombian city of Barranquilla on July 10, the same day as the third-place match in Bogotá.
Find out all about the new match schedule for the CONMEBOL Copa America 2021--
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The Council "also decided to authorize, in addition to substitutions due to injury, the change of up to three players from each country's list, once the group stage is finished," and the replacements "must come from the provisional roster of 50 players submitted by each team before the tournament."
The coordination work with the authorities of both countries "is progressing smoothly, despite the difficulties derived from the pandemic," the document refers, stating that the changes in the tournament, which will maintain the same format, were made in response to this circumstance.
Libertadores and Sudamericana
The Council, the highest body of Conmebol, decided to expand the number of players that teams can include in their roster so that they can "maintain their level of competitiveness, in case of unforeseen events derived from the Covid-19 pandemic."
"In the event that a club cannot present itself to play the match because it does not have enough athletes in conditions, it will lose the points by walkover," added the organization in a statement.
The Copa Libertadores will resume competition on September 15 and the Copa Sudamericana on October 27 with all the protocols and preventive measures in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.
These competitions had been interrupted in mid-March with the arrival of COVID-19 in South American countries.
In this regard, Conmebol approved adjustments to the health protocol related to the deadlines for submitting virus detection tests, as well as aspects related to the verification of the health conditions of people involved in the matches.
Moreover, a liaison team was created to work directly with the associations, participating clubs, and health authorities of each country to coordinate details regarding the resumption of both tournaments. (D)