Following the Copa Libertadores 2026 group stage draw, Universidad Católica faces a tough schedule in Group D with Boca Juniors, Cruzeiro, and Barcelona SC. The Cruzados will debut on April 7 at home against the Xeneizes. Coquimbo Unido draws a more manageable group with Nacional, Universitario, and Tolima.
The group stage draw for the Copa Libertadores 2026 took place on Thursday in Luque, setting the schedules for Chilean teams Universidad Católica and Coquimbo Unido. UC landed in the so-called “group of death” (D), alongside Boca Juniors, Cruzeiro, and Barcelona de Guayaquil. They debut on April 7 at 20:30 at Claro Arena against Boca Juniors, followed by a trip to Belo Horizonte on April 14 at 19:00 versus Cruzeiro. On April 28, they travel to Ecuador against Barcelona at 20:00, host Cruzeiro on May 5 at 22:00, play Barcelona at home on May 19 at 20:30, and close on May 26 at La Bombonera against Boca at 20:30. Coach Daniel Garnero stated: “Nos tocaron equipos grandes, que saben de esta competencia. Nosotros estamos en ese grupo de elencos con tradición y ganas de competir en este torneo. La localía va a ser muy importante.” He added that “son nombres muy fuertes, pero las realidades quizás no están a la altura de la historia de los clubes” and stressed the need for better finishing and solidity. Coquimbo Unido joins Group B with Nacional de Montevideo, Universitario de Lima, and Deportes Tolima. They debut at home against Nacional at 18:00, travel to Peru on April 14 against Universitario at 22:00, and to Colombia against Tolima at 22:00. In the return legs, they host Universitario at 20:00 and Tolima at 17:00, ending away at Nacional at 20:30. Coach Hernán Caputto called it “un grupo aceptable y no accesible.” UC president Juan Tagle described it as “un grupo muy atractivo, que desafía.”
