Copa Paraguay

Copa Paraguay: History, Format, and the Road to the Title

Introduction

The Copa Paraguay is an annual knockout football competition in Paraguay, open to all the teams in the country. It was created in 2018 by the Paraguayan Football Association (APF) and is the second most important cup competition in the country, after the Primera División championship.

History and Format

The first edition of the Copa Paraguay was held in 2018 and was won by Club Guaraní. The tournament is played in a single-elimination format, with the 48 participating teams divided into two zones: the first zone consists of 32 teams from the Primera División, the second zone consists of 16 teams from the División Intermedia, the third division, and the regional leagues.

The teams from the first zone enter the tournament in the round of 32, while the teams from the second zone play a preliminary round to determine the 8 teams that will join the remaining 24 teams in the round of 32. The final is played at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción, the home of the Paraguayan national team.

Road to the Title

The path to the Copa Paraguay title is long and arduous. The 48 teams that participate in the tournament must play a minimum of 5 games to reach the final. The first four rounds are played in a single-elimination format, with the teams from the first zone entering the competition in the round of 32, while the teams from the second zone enter in the preliminary round.

The quarter-finals and semi-finals are also played in a single-elimination format, with the final being played at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción. The winner of the Copa Paraguay qualifies for the Copa Sudamericana, the second most important club competition in South America.

Past Winners

The Copa Paraguay has been won by three different teams in its three editions. Club Guaraní won the inaugural edition in 2018, defeating Sportivo Luqueño in the final. Libertad won the 2019 edition, defeating Guaraní in the final, and Olimpia won the 2020 edition, defeating Sol de América in the final.

Conclusion

The Copa Paraguay is a prestigious knockout football competition in Paraguay. It is open to all the teams in the country and offers a chance for teams from the lower divisions to compete against the top teams in the country. The tournament has been won by three different teams in its three editions and has provided some memorable moments for fans.