The 2021 Copa Sudamericana first stage was played from 16 March to 14 April 2021.[1] A total of 32 teams competed in the first stage to decide 16 of the 32 places in the group stage of the 2021 Copa Sudamericana.[2]
Draw
The draw for the first stage was held on 5 February 2021, 12:00 PYST (UTC−3), at the CONMEBOL Convention Centre in Luque, Paraguay.[3][4] For the first stage, the 32 teams involved were divided into eight pots according to their national association.
The 32 teams were drawn into 16 ties, with the four teams from each national association drawn against each other into two ties per association (e.g., the four teams from Bolivia were drawn into ties BOL 1 and BOL 2), and the first team drawn in each tie hosting the second leg.
URU The identity of the teams Uruguay 1, Uruguay 2, Uruguay 3 and Uruguay 4 was not known at the time of the draw.
Format
In the first stage, each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If tied on aggregate, the away goals rule was used. If still tied, extra time will not be played, and a penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner (Regulations Article 2.4.2).[2]
The 16 winners of the first stage advanced to the group stage to join the 12 teams directly qualified for that stage (six from Argentina and six from Brazil), and four teams transferred from the Copa Libertadores (the four teams eliminated in the third stage of qualifying).
Matches
The first legs were played on 16–18 March, 6 and 7 April while the second legs were played on 6–8, 13 and 14 April 2021.[4][5][6]
Tied 2–2 on aggregate, Aragua won on away goals and advanced to the group stage (VEN 2).
Notes
^Referee Jordy Alemán from Bolivia, who was originally assigned to the Jorge Wilstermann v Atlético Palmaflor match,[7][8] was replaced by his countryman Dilio Rodríguez.[9]
