2018 Copa Libertadores
The 2018 Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores was the 59th edition of the CONMEBOL Libertadores, South America's premier club football tournament organized by CONMEBOL.
River Plate defeated Boca Juniors in the finals by an aggregate score of 5–3 to win their fourth tournament title. As champions, they qualified as the CONMEBOL representative at the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and also earned the right to play against the winners of the 2018 Copa Sudamericana in the 2019 Recopa Sudamericana. They also automatically qualified for the 2019 Copa Libertadores group stage. Grêmio were the defending champions, but were defeated by River Plate in the semifinals.
The first leg of the final was played at the Estadio Alberto J. Armando in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 11 November 2018, while the second leg took place outside South America at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain on 9 December 2018. The New York Times reported that the second leg was referred to as the "Final to End All Finals" and the biggest game in Argentine sport history but it was postponed and moved due to violence against the Boca Juniors team.
Teams
The following 47 teams from the 10 CONMEBOL member associations qualified for the tournament:- Copa Libertadores champions
- Copa Sudamericana champions
- Brazil: 7 berths
- Argentina: 6 berths
- All other associations: 4 berths each
The entry stage is determined as follows:
- Group stage: 28 teams
- *Copa Libertadores champions
- *Copa Sudamericana champions
- *Teams which qualified for berths 1–5 from Argentina and Brazil
- *Teams which qualified for berths 1–2 from all other associations
- Second stage: 13 teams
- *Teams which qualified for berths 6–7 from Brazil
- *Team which qualified for berth 6 from Argentina
- *Teams which qualified for berths 3–4 from Chile and Colombia
- *Teams which qualified for berths 3 from all other associations
- First stage: 6 teams
- *Teams which qualified for berths 4 from Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela
| Association | Team | Entry stage | Qualification method |
 Argentina | Independiente | Group stage | 2017 Copa Sudamericana champions |
| Argentina | Boca Juniors | Group stage | 2016–17 Primera División champions |
| Argentina | River Plate | Group stage | 2016–17 Primera División runners-up |
| Argentina | Atlético Tucumán | Group stage | 2016–17 Copa Argentina runners-up |
| Argentina | Estudiantes | Group stage | 2016–17 Primera División 3rd place |
| Argentina | Racing | Group stage | 2016–17 Primera División 4th place |
| Argentina | Banfield | Second stage | 2016–17 Primera División 5th place |
 Bolivia | The Strongest | Group stage | 2016 Apertura champions |
| Bolivia | Bolívar | Group stage | 2017 Apertura champions |
| Bolivia | Jorge Wilstermann | Second stage | 2017 Clausura best team not yet qualified |
| Bolivia | Oriente Petrolero | First stage | 2016–17 Primera División aggregate table best team not yet qualified |
 Brazil | Grêmio | Group stage | 2017 Copa Libertadores champions |
| Brazil | Corinthians | Group stage | 2017 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A champions |
| Brazil | Cruzeiro | Group stage | 2017 Copa do Brasil champions |
| Brazil | Palmeiras | Group stage | 2017 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A runners-up |
| Brazil | Santos | Group stage | 2017 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 3rd place |
| Brazil | Flamengo | Group stage | 2017 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 6th place |
| Brazil | Vasco da Gama | Second stage | 2017 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 7th place |
| Brazil | Chapecoense | Second stage | 2017 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 8th place |
 Chile | Universidad de Chile | Group stage | 2017 Clausura champions |
| Chile | Colo-Colo | Group stage | 2017 Transición champions |
| Chile | Santiago Wanderers | Second stage | 2017 Copa Chile champions |
| Chile | Universidad de Concepción | Second stage | 2017 Primera División runners-up playoff winners |
 Colombia | Atlético Nacional | Group stage | 2017 Apertura champions |
| Colombia | Millonarios | Group stage | 2017 Finalización champions |
| Colombia | Santa Fe | Second stage | 2017 Primera A aggregate table best team not yet qualified |
| Colombia | Junior | Second stage | 2017 Copa Colombia champions |
 Ecuador | Emelec | Group stage | 2017 Serie A champions |
| Ecuador | Delfín | Group stage | 2017 Serie A runners-up |
| Ecuador | Independiente del Valle | Second stage | 2017 Serie A aggregate table best team not yet qualified |
| Ecuador | Macará | First stage | 2017 Serie A aggregate table 2nd best team not yet qualified |
 Paraguay | Cerro Porteño | Group stage | 2017 Primera División tournament champions with better record in aggregate table |
| Paraguay | Libertad | Group stage | 2017 Primera División tournament champions with worse record in aggregate table |
| Paraguay | Guaraní | Second stage | 2017 Primera División aggregate table best team not yet qualified |
| Paraguay | Olimpia | First stage | 2017 Primera División aggregate table 2nd best team not yet qualified |
 Peru | Alianza Lima | Group stage | 2017 Torneo Descentralizado champions |
| Peru | Real Garcilaso | Group stage | 2017 Torneo Descentralizado runners-up |
| Peru | Melgar | Second stage | 2017 Torneo de Verano winners |
| Peru | Universitario | First stage | 2017 Torneo Descentralizado aggregate table best team not yet qualified |
 Uruguay | Peñarol | Group stage | 2017 Primera División champions |
| Uruguay | Defensor Sporting | Group stage | 2017 Primera División runners-up |
| Uruguay | Nacional | Second stage | 2017 Primera División aggregate table best team not yet qualified |
| Uruguay | Montevideo Wanderers | First stage | 2017 Primera División aggregate table 2nd best team not yet qualified |
 Venezuela | Monagas | Group stage | 2017 Primera División champions |
| Venezuela | Deportivo Lara | Group stage | 2017 Primera División runners-up |
| Venezuela | Carabobo | Second stage | 2017 Primera División aggregate table best team not yet qualified |
| Venezuela | Deportivo Táchira | First stage | 2017 Primera División aggregate table 2nd best team not yet qualified |