Recopa Sudamericana

Lanús claims their maiden title by defeating Flamengo 4–2 on aggregate in the 34th Recopa Sudamericana.

The 2026 Recopa Sudamericana was the 34th edition of the CONMEBOL competition between the winners of the previous season's Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana. Brazilian team Flamengo, champions of the 2025 Copa Libertadores, faced Argentine side Lanús, winners of the 2025 Copa Sudamericana. This marked Flamengo's third appearance in the tournament; they had previously won in 2020 and lost in 2023, both against Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle. The contest followed a two-legged home-and-away format, with Lanús hosting the first leg at Estadio Ciudad de Lanús on 19 February 2026, and Flamengo taking the second leg to Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro on 26 February 2026. Ultimately, Lanús defeated Flamengo 4–2 on aggregate to claim their first Recopa Sudamericana title.

Quick Facts

Competition type: CONMEBOL Recopa
Total titles held (lanús): 1
Flamengo previous wins: 2020
Flamengo previous losses: 2023

Lore & Background

Flamengo's history in this competition includes three distinct participations. Their first two encounters ended with victories and defeats against Independiente del Valle, occurring in 2020 and 2023 respectively. Before facing Lanús in 2026, the Argentine club had already tasted defeat in the Recopa once before; they lost their inaugural appearance in 2014 to Brazilian side Atlético Mineiro. The rivalry between Flamengo and Lanús is not new to continental football, as the two sides previously met in Group 2 of the 2012 Copa Libertadores. Alongside Ecuador's Emelec and Paraguay's Olimpia, they formed a competitive group where Flamengo managed one win and one draw against Lanús. Despite that positive record against their future Recopa opponents, Flamengo finished third in the group and were eliminated, while Lanús advanced as the group winner to the knockout rounds.

Reader's Guide

Fans of the 2026 edition should note the specific scheduling and format rules that defined the tournament. The competition adhered strictly to a two-legged home-and-away structure where the Copa Libertadores winner hosts the second leg, meaning Flamengo played their decisive match at Maracanã. Prior to kickoff on 19 February, supporters needed to track injury reports closely; Saúl was confirmed unavailable for both matches, and the first leg saw the absence of Jorginho (injury) and Gonzalo Plata (suspension). The tie-breaking procedure was clear: no away goals rule applied, but rather a direct progression to 30 minutes of extra time if the aggregate score was level after full-time. If the deadlock persisted, a penalty shoot-out would determine the champion. Lanús won 4–2 on aggregate to take their first Recopa Sudamericana.