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CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
Initials(s) CONMEBOL
Formation July 9th, 1916
No. of members 10
President Flag of Paraguay Alejandro Dominguez
Website Official website

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations. The oldest continental confederation in the world, its headquarters are located in Luque, Paraguay. CONMEBOL is responsible for the organization and governance of South American football's major international tournaments. With 10 member football associations, it has the fewest members of all the confederations in FIFA.

CONMEBOL national teams have won nine FIFA World Cups (Brazil five, Argentina and Uruguay two trophies each), and CONMEBOL clubs have won 22 Intercontinental Cups and four FIFA Club World Cups. Argentina and Uruguay have also won two Olympic gold medals each. It is considered one of the strongest confederations in the world.

The World Cup qualifiers of CONMEBOL have been described as the "toughest qualifiers in the world",[1][2] for their simple round-robin system, entry of some of the top national teams in the world, leveling of the weaker national teams, climate conditions, geographic conditions, strong home stands and passionate supporters. Currently, the Confederation is planning to create the first women's qualification to the FIFA Women's World Cup to replace the Copa América Femenina.

Juan Ángel Napout was the interim president of CONMEBOL until March, 2015 but then he was promoted to full-time president. Napout replaced the former president Eugenio Figueredo who resigned on August 8, 2014. The first and second vicepresidents are Luis Bedoya and Sergio Jadue.

History[]

In 1916, the first edition of the Campeonato Sudamericano de Fútbol, now known as the Copa América, was contested in Argentina to commemorate the centenary of the Argentine Declaration of Independence. The four participating associations of that tournament gathered together in order to officially create a governing body to facilitate the organization of the tournament. Thus, CONMEBOL was founded on July 9, 1916, Argentine Independence Day, under the initiative of Uruguayan Héctor Rivadavia, but approved by the football associations of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. The constitutional congress on December 15 of that same year ratified the decision.

Over the years, the other football associations in South America joined, with the last being Venezuela in 1952. Guyana, Suriname, and the French overseas department of French Guiana, while geographically in South America, are not part of CONMEBOL. Consisting of a French territory, a former British territory, and a former Dutch territory, and located near the Caribbean Sea, they are part of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), mainly due to historical, cultural, and sporting reasons. With ten member nations, CONMEBOL is the smallest and the only fully continental land-based FIFA confederation (no insular countries or associates from different continents).

Competitions[]

International[]

The main competition for men's national teams is the Copa América, started in 1916. CONMEBOL also runs national competitions at Under-20, Under-17 and Under-15 levels. For women's national teams, CONMEBOL operates the Copa América Femenina for senior national sides, as well as Under-20 and Under-17 championships.

In futsal there is the Copa América de Futsal and Campeonato Sudamericano de Futsal Sub-20. The Campeonato Sudamericano Femenino de Futsal is the women's equivalent to the man's tournament.

Club[]

CONMEBOL also runs the two main club competitions in South America: the Copa Libertadores was first held in 1960 and the Copa Sudamericana was launched by CONMEBOL in 2002 as an indirect successor to the Supercopa Libertadores (begun in 1988). A third competition, the Copa CONMEBOL, started in 1992 and was abolished in 1999. In women's football CONMEBOL also conducts the Copa Libertadores Femenina for club teams. The competition was first held in 2009.

The Recopa Sudamericana pits the past year's winners of the Copa Libertadores against the winners of the Copa Sudamericana (previously the winners of the Supercopa Libertadores), and came into being in 1989.

The Intercontinental Cup was jointly organized with UEFA between the Copa Libertadores and the UEFA Champions League winners.

Members[]

Country Association Founded Joined National team Top division
Flag of Argentina Argentina AFA 1893 1916 ARG (M, W) Primera División
Flag of Bolivia Bolivia FBF 1925 1926 BOL (M, W) Liga Profesional
Brazil Brazil CBF 1914 1916 BRA (M, W) Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
Flag of Chile Chile FFC 1895 1916 CHI (M, W) Primera División
Flag of Colombia Colombia FCF 1924 1936 COL (M, W) Primera A
Flag of Ecuador Ecuador FEF 1925 1927 ECU (M, W) Serie A
Flag of Paraguay Paraguay APF 1906 1921 PAR (M, W) División Profesional
Flag of Peru Peru FPF 1922 1925 PER (M, W) Primera División
Flag of Uruguay Uruguay AUF 1899 1916 URU (M, W) Primera División
Flag of Venezuela Venezuela FVF 1926 1952 VEN (M, W) Primera División

CONMEBOL competitions[]

National teams:

  • Copa América
  • Superclásico de las Américas
  • South American Under-20 Football Championship
  • South American Under-17 Football Championship
  • South American Under-15 Football Championship
  • Copa América Femenina
  • South American Under-20 Women's Football Championship
  • South American Under-17 Women's Football Championship
  • Copa América de Futsal
  • South American Under-20 Futsal Championship
  • South American Women's Futsal Championship
  • CONMEBOL Beach Soccer Championship
Defunct
  • CONMEBOL Men Pre-Olympic Tournament

Club:

Defunct
  • Supercopa Libertadores
  • Copa CONMEBOL
  • South American Championship of Champions
  • Copa Ganadores de Copa
  • Copa de Oro
  • Copa Mercosur
  • Copa Merconorte
  • Copa Master de Supercopa
  • Copa Master de Conmebol
  • Supercopa de Campeones Intercontinentales
  • Intercontinental Cup
  • Copa Interamericana
  • U-20 Copa Libertadores

Performances at FIFA tournaments[]

Men's[]

World Cup Finals[]

World Cup Participation and Results[]

Legend
  • 1st – Champion
  • 2nd – Runner-up
  •  3rd  – Third Place[3]
  • 4th - Fourth place
  • QF – Quarterfinals
  • R16 – Round of 16 (since 1986: knockout round of 16)
  • R2 - Second round (for the 1974, 1978, and 1982 tournaments, which had two group stages)
  • GS – Group Stage (in the 1950, 1974, 1978, and 1982 tournaments, which had two group stages, this refers to the first group stage)
  • 1S – First Knockout Stage (1934–1938 Single-elimination tournament)
  • Q — Qualified for upcoming tournament
  •    — Did not qualify
  •     — Did not enter / Withdrew / Banned
  •     — Hosts
Team Flag of Uruguay
1930
Flag of Italy
1934
Flag of France
1938
Flag of Brazil
1950
Flag of Switzerland
1954
Flag of Sweden
1958
Flag of Chile
1962
Flag of England
1966
Flag of Mexico
1970
Flag of West Germany
1974
Flag of Argentina
1978
Flag of Spain
1982
Flag of Mexico
1986
Flag of Italy
1990
Flag of United States
1994
Flag of France
1998
Flag of South Korea
Flag of Japan
2002
Flag of Germany
2006
Flag of South Africa
2010
Flag of Brazil
2014
Flag of Russia
2018
Flag of Qatar
2022
Total
Appearances
inclusive
WC Qual.
Brazil Brazil GS 1S 3rd 2nd QF 1st 1st GS 1st 4th 3rd R2 QF R16 1st 2nd 1st QF QF 4th 20 20
Flag of Argentina Argentina 2nd 1S GS GS QF R2 1st R2 1st 2nd R16 QF GS QF QF 2nd 16 17
Flag of Uruguay Uruguay 1st 1st 4th GS QF 4th GS R16 R16 GS 4th R16 12 18
Flag of Chile Chile GS GS 3rd GS GS GS R16 R16 R16 9 17
Flag of Paraguay Paraguay GS GS GS R16 R16 R16 GS QF 8 18
Flag of Colombia Colombia GS R16 GS GS QF 5 15
Flag of Peru Peru GS QF R2 GS 4 16
Flag of Bolivia Bolivia GS GS GS 3 17
Flag of Ecuador Ecuador GS R16 GS 3 14
Flag of Venezuela Venezuela 0 12
Combined CONMEBOL Appearances 7 2 1 5 2 3 5 4 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 4 5 6 TBD TBD 80
inclusive World Cup Qualification 7 2 1 5 4 8 9 10 10 9 10 10 10 10 9 10 10 10 10 10 TBD TBD 164

FIFA Confederations Cup[]

Legend
  • 1st – Champions
  • 2nd – Runners-up
  • 3rd – Third place
  • 4th – Fourth place
  • GS – Group stage
  • Q — Qualified for upcoming tournament
  •  ••  — Qualified but withdrew
  •  •  — Did not qualify
  •  ×  — Did not enter / Withdrew from the Copa América or withdrew from the Confederations Cup / Banned
  •    — Hosts
Team 1992
Flag of Saudi Arabia
1995
Flag of Saudi Arabia
1997
Flag of Saudi Arabia
1999
Flag of Mexico
2001
Flag of South Korea
Flag of Japan
2003
Flag of France
2005
Flag of Germany
2009
Flag of South Africa
2013
Flag of Brazil
2017
Flag of Russia
2021
Flag of Qatar
Total
Flag of Argentina Argentina 1st 2nd × 2nd 3
Flag of Bolivia Bolivia GS 1
Brazil Brazil × 1st 2nd 4th GS 1st 1st 1st 7
Flag of Colombia Colombia 4th 1
Flag of Uruguay Uruguay 4th 4th 2
Total 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 2

Women's[]

Women's World Cup Finals[]

The following table shows the CONMEBOL representatives at each edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup, sorted by alphabetical order.

Team Flag of China
1991
Flag of Sweden
1995
Flag of United States
1999
Flag of United States
2003
Flag of China
2007
Flag of Germany
2011
Flag of Canada
2015
Total inclusive
WC Qual.
Flag of Argentina Argentina GS GS 2 6
Flag of Bolivia Bolivia 0 6
Brazil Brazil GS GS 3rd QF 2nd QF Q 7 7
Flag of Chile Chile 0 7
Flag of Colombia Colombia GS Q 2 5
Flag of Ecuador Ecuador Q 1 6
Flag of Paraguay Paraguay 0 5
Flag of Peru Peru 0 5
Flag of Uruguay Uruguay 0 5
Flag of Venezuela Venezuela 0 6
Total 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 9
inclusive World Cup Qualification 3 5 10 10 10 10 10 58

CONMEBOL presidents[]

  • 1916–1936 Flag of Uruguay Héctor Rivadavia Gómez
  • 1936–1939 Flag of Argentina Luis O. Salesi
  • 1939–1955 Flag of Chile Luis Valenzuela Hermosilla
  • 1955–1957 Flag of Chile Carlos Dittborn Pinto
  • 1957–1959 Flag of Brazil José Ramos de Freitas
  • 1959–1961 Flag of Uruguay Fermín Sorhueta
  • 1961–1966 Flag of Argentina Raúl H. Colombo
  • 1966–1986 Flag of Peru Teófilo Salinas Fuller
  • 1986–2013 Flag of Paraguay Nicolás Léoz
  • 2013–2014 Flag of Uruguay Eugenio Figueredo
  • 2014– Flag of Paraguay Juan Ángel Napout

Current Champions[]

Competitions Champion Title Runner-Up Next Edition
Copa América Flag of Chile Chili 1st Flag of Argentina Argentina 2019
Copa Libertadores de América Flag of Argentina San Lorenzo 1st Flag of Paraguay Nacional 2015
Copa Sudamericana Flag of Argentina River Plate 1st Flag of Colombia Atlético Nacional 2015
Recopa Sudamericana Flag of Brazil Atlético Mineiro 1st Flag of Argentina Lanús 2015
South American Under-20 Championship Flag of Argentina Argentina 5th Flag of Colombia Colombia 2017
South American Under-17 Championship Flag of Argentina Argentina 3rd Flag of Venezuela Venezuela 2015
South American Under-15 Championship Flag of Peru Peru 1st Flag of Colombia Colombia 2015
Copa América Femenina Brazil Brazil 6th Flag of Colombia Colombia 2018
South American Under-20 Women's Football Championship Brazil Brazil 6th Flag of Paraguay Paraguay 2016
South American Under-17 Women's Football Championship Flag of Venezuela Venezuela 1st Flag of Colombia Colombia 2015

Rankings[]

National teams[]

Top FIFA ranked team

Argentina national football teamBrazilian national football teamColombian national football teamArgentina national football teamColombian national football teamArgentina national football teamUruguayan national football teamBrazilian national football teamArgentina national football teamBrazilian national football teamArgentina national football teamBrazilian national football teamArgentina national football teamBrazilian national football teamArgentina national football teamBrazilian national football teamArgentina national football team
  • Last updates:
    • Men's national teams: 18 September 2014
    • Women's national teams: 20 June 2014
Top men's national teams
Rankings are calculated by FIFA.
____ Top women's national teams
Rankings are calculated by FIFA.
CSF FIFA Nation Points CSF FIFA Nation Points
1 2 Flag of Argentina Argentina 1631 1 6 Brazil Brazil 2008
2 3 Flag of Colombia Colombia 1488 2 31 Flag of Colombia Colombia 1641
3 6 Brazil Brazil 1291 3 35 Flag of Argentina Argentina 1620
4 7 Flag of Uruguay Uruguay 1243 4 42 Flag of CHI Chile 1559
5 12 Flag of CHI Chile 1100 5 66 Flag of Venezuela Venezuela 1360
6 21 Flag of Ecuador Ecuador 889 6 71 Flag of Uruguay Uruguay 1329
7 47 Flag of Peru Peru 523 7 85 Flag of Bolivia Bolivia 1235
8 60 Flag of Paraguay Paraguay 514 8 125 Flag of Ecuador Ecuador 1484
9 66 Flag of Venezuela Venezuela 476 9 125 Flag of Peru Peru 1450
10 94 Flag of Bolivia Bolivia 346 10 125 Flag of Paraguay Paraguay 1430

Clubs[]

CONMEBOL[]

CONMEBOL
Ranking
Club Points
2 Flag of Colombia Santa Fe 399.380
3 Flag of Brazil Santos 345.920
4 Flag of Argentina Vélez Sársfield 315.870
5 Flag of Brazil São Paulo 298.000
6 Flag of Brazil Internacional 294.040
7 Flag of Paraguay Libertad 268.880
8 Flag of Brazil Corinthians 510.200
9 Flag of Brazil Atlético Mineiro 245.880
10 Flag of Paraguay Olimpia 238.840

Last updated on: July 24, 2013 – Current Standings

IFFHS[]

Zonal
Ranking
IFFHS
Ranking
Club Points
1 4 Flag of Argentina Lanús 277.0
2 5 Flag of Colombia Atlético Nacional 276.0
3 19 Flag of Argentina Vélez Sarsfield 217.0
4 20 Flag of Brazil Atlético Mineiro 216.0
5 21 Flag of Argentina San Lorenzo 213.0
6 22 Flag of Brazil Grêmio 212.0
7 25 Flag of Brazil Cruzeiro 205.0
8 26 Flag of Argentina Arsenal 202.0
9 30 Flag of Brazil Atlético Paranaense 192.0
10 34 Flag of Chile Universidad de Chile 180.5

Last updated on: May 31, 2014 – [1]


References[]

  1. "La eliminatoria más difícil del mundo", ESPN (in Spanish)
  2. "South American WCQ toughest in world", ESPN
  3. There was no Third Place match in 1930; The United States and Yugoslavia lost in the semifinals. FIFA recognizes the United States as the third-placed team and Yugoslavia as the fourth-placed team using the overall records of the teams in the 1930 FIFA World Cup.
Confederations
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