The 2026 Copa Paraguay is the eighth edition of the Copa Paraguay, Paraguay's domestic football cup competition organized by the Paraguayan Football Association (APF). The competition began on 2 June and is scheduled to end in November 2026. The tournament's draw was held on 17 April 2026.
The winners will qualify for the 2027 Copa Libertadores, entering the first stage of that competition, as well as the 2026 Supercopa Paraguay against the 2026 Copa de Primera champions with better record in the aggregate table.
General Caballero (JLM) were the defending champions, but they were eliminated by Rubio Ñu in the third stage.
Format The competition kept its usual single-elimination format, with the participating teams entering in the first three rounds according to the league in which they played. The first stage was played by the teams in the third and fourth-tier leagues Primera B and Primera C as well as the 17 regional champions, which were drawn into 20 single-match ties and two triangular groups, with 24 teams advancing to the following round.
In the second stage, the first stage winners were joined by 16 teams from the second-tier league División Intermedia. The 40 participating teams were drawn into 20 ties, with the winners advancing to the third stage, where the 12 División de Honor teams entered the competition to set up 16 ties, with the winners advancing to the final knockout rounds (round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final).
Ties in all rounds are played on a single-legged basis, with a penalty shootout deciding the winner in case of a draw.
Teams The 2026 edition features 74 participating teams, 12 from División de Honor, 16 from División Intermedia, 17 from Primera B, 12 from Primera C, and the champions from each of the 17 departments of Paraguay, representing the Unión de Fútbol del Interior (UFI):
División de Honor
2 de Mayo Cerro Porteño Guaraní Libertad Nacional Olimpia Recoleta Rubio Ñu San Lorenzo Sportivo Ameliano Sportivo Luqueño Sportivo Trinidense
División Intermedia
3 de Noviembre 12 de Junio Benjamín Aceval Deportivo Capiatá Deportivo Santaní Encarnación Fernando de la Mora General Caballero (JLM) Guaireña Independiente (CG) Paraguarí Resistencia Sol de América Sportivo Carapeguá Tacuary Tembetary
Primera B
1 de Marzo (FDM) 3 de Febrero (RB) 12 de Octubre (I) 12 de Octubre (SD) 24 de Setiembre 29 de Setiembre Atlántida Atlético Colegiales Cristóbal Colón (JAS) Martín Ledesma Olimpia (Itá) Presidente Hayes River Plate Silvio Pettirossi Sport Colombia Sportivo Iteño Sportivo Limpeño
Primera C
Atlético Juventud Capitán Figari Deportivo Pinozá Fulgencio Yegros General Caballero (CG) General Caballero (ZC) General Díaz Humaitá Oriental Pilcomayo Sport Colonial Valois Rivarola
UFI
Deportivo Ñepytyvo (Concepción) 4 de Mayo (San Pedro) Teniente Fariña (Cordillera) 3 de Mayo (Guairá) Deportivo Yhú (Caaguazú) 14 de Mayo (Caazapá) Atlético Campo Florido (Itapúa) 15 de Agosto (Misiones) Atlético Guaraní (Paraguarí) Santa Mónica (Alto Paraná) Juventud Ypanense (Central) Sportivo Oliveño (Ñeembucú) Deportivo Obrero (Amambay) General Caballero (K) (Canindeyú) 10 de Julio (Presidente Hayes) Naciones Unidas (Boquerón) General Caballero (FO) (Alto Paraguay)
First stage 46 clubs competed in the first stage, those being the ones from Primera B, Primera C and UFI, which were drawn into 20 single-match ties and two triangular groups featuring three UFI clubs, one Primera B club and two from Primera C. The winners from the 20 matches as well as the top two teams in each triangular advanced to the second stage. The first stage matches were played from 2 June to 6 July 2026.
Primera B/Primera C triangular
UFI triangular
Second stage The second stage matches were played from 14 to 29 July 2026.
Bracket
Third stage Matches in this round were played from 11 to 27 August 2026.
Round of 16 The schedule for the round of 16 was announced by the Paraguayan Football Association on 10 September 2026, with the matches played from 22 September to 1 October 2026.
Quarter-finals The quarter-final matches are scheduled to be played from 14 to 28 October 2026.
Semi-finals
Third place play-off
Final
See also 2026 Copa de Primera 2026 APF División Intermedia
References
External links Copa Paraguay on the official website of the Paraguayan Football Association