- Palmeiras and Estudiantes will meet on 28 November at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay, in the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores Final.
- The only previous meeting between the two sides in the competition dates back to the 1968 Final, when they played the deciding match at the Centenario, where Pincha claimed their first title in the continent's most prestigious club tournament.
The 'Eternal Glory' has reached the final stage of its continental journey. Estudiantes de La Plata and Palmeiras will decide the next champions of the competition at a venue steeped in history. The Argentine side will be aiming for their fifth title, while their Brazilian opponents will be seeking their fourth. It promises to be a clash between two South American heavyweights.
Both semi-final ties had one thing in common: they were decided on penalties. Palmeiras, playing at home, won their second consecutive knockout tie via a shoot-out and eliminated Fluminense — champions in 2023 — to reach their fourth Final in their last seven appearances in the competition.
Estudiantes, who held firm with ten men at the Maracanã against Flamengo, pulled off an upset against the reigning champions, with Fernando Muslera producing an outstanding performance in goal. The Uruguayan saved penalties from Jorginho, Lucas Paquetá and Bruno Henrique to send Pincha back to a continental final after a 17-year wait.
The road to Montevideo
Palmeiras began their continental campaign as the reigning runners-up. The Verdão, who lost the 2025 Final to Flamengo, progressed from the Group Stage in second place behind Cerro Porteño, collecting 11 points from three wins, two draws and one defeat — against the Paraguayan side. The 'Ciclón' were also their opponents in the last 16, but this time Abel Ferreira's side came out on top, drawing 1-1 in São Paulo before winning 1-0 in Asunción.
In the quarter-finals, they faced LDU Quito, a formidable obstacle. The São Paulo side won 1-0 at home but lost 3-2 in Ecuador. Goalkeeper Carlos Miguel proved decisive in the penalty shoot-out, saving two spot-kicks to help Palmeiras take another step towards the Final.
The semi-finals followed a similar pattern. Palmeiras beat Fluminense 2-1 away at the Maracanã, with goals from José Manuel López and Marlon Freitas; Natã scored for Flu. In the second leg, a late goal from Hércules gave the Rio de Janeiro side the win. Once again, however, the towering Carlos Miguel stepped up when it mattered most.
The Brazilian goalkeeper saved Nonato's penalty to seal Verdão's place in another CONMEBOL Libertadores Final, adding another chapter to Abel Ferreira's tenure in charge.
Estudiantes' campaign had its ups and downs, but, true to their history, they raised their level in the knockout stage. They had to work hard to progress from the Group Stage, which also featured Flamengo, finishing second in Group A with nine points — two more than Independiente Medellín. In the last 16, they faced surprise package Universidad Católica. The first leg in La Plata ended 1-1, with Joaquín Tobio Burgos on the scoresheet. In the return leg, León were emphatic, winning 3-0 through a Joaquín Correa goal and a Guido Carrillo brace. Carrillo became the club's all-time leading scorer in the competition.
Their quarter-final opponents were Corinthians, and Alexis Castro was the standout performer. The midfielder scored in the 1-1 first-leg draw before netting the decisive goal in a 1-0 win in the return fixture. The semi-finals brought an even greater challenge: reigning champions Flamengo.
The 180 minutes were tightly contested: a goalless draw at the Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi was followed by another 0-0 at the Maracanã, where Estudiantes held on with ten men throughout the second half. In the penalty shoot-out, Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera emerged as the hero his side needed. He saved three spot-kicks, diving to his right each time, to pave the way for a 3-2 shoot-out win and send Estudiantes back to a continental final after 17 years. Their last appearance in the final came in 2009, when they won the title against another Brazilian side: Cruzeiro.
