The group stage draw for the 2026 Copa Libertadores, which will feature six Argentine teams, will take place this Thursday at the CONMEBOL headquarters in the Paraguayan city of Luque. Of the six qualified teams, Rosario Central and Boca Juniors qualified due to their position in the annual table in 2025, while Platense, Estudiantes de La Plata, Independiente Rivadavia, and Lanús qualified by winning the Torneo Apertura, Clausura, Copa Argentina, and Copa Sudamericana, respectively. This edition will mark Boca's return to the Copa Libertadores after three years. The last time the 'Xeneize' participated in the group stage of this competition was in 2023, when they reached the final and lost in extra time to Fluminense of Brazil. The team led by Claudio Úbeda is going through a very difficult period, and the continuity of their head coach hangs by a thread. Rosario Central, for its part, arrives as one of the most controversial teams in Argentine football, mainly after the Argentine Football Association (AFA) recognized the League Champion title for finishing first in the annual table. However, despite their good level, the 'Canalla' struggles to compete until the final stages when playing on the field. The other Argentine team aiming to compete in this Copa Libertadores is Estudiantes de La Plata, which comes from winning the Torneo Clausura after a passionate final against Racing. The 'Pincha' reached the quarter-finals last year, where they lost on penalties to Flamengo of Brazil, who would later become the champion. Additionally, Lanús arrives with sky-high confidence after conquering the Copa Sudamericana 2025 and the Recopa 2026, defeating the latter on penalties against Flamengo. The team led by Mauricio Pellegrino is increasingly establishing itself as a very tough opponent for the Brazilian teams that dominate the continent, so one should not rule out the possibility of them reaching the final stages. Finally, Platense and Independiente Rivadavia from Mendoza, who were the big surprises of 2025 by winning the Torneo Apertura and the Copa Argentina, will make their debut in the Libertadores.
