- The CONMEBOL Libertadores U20 champions will face the UEFA Youth League winners this Saturday, 19 September, at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
- The match will kick off at 12:30pm local time in Spain, with the CONMEBOL-UEFA Intercontinental U20 2026 title at stake.
Santiago Wanderers are preparing for another historic challenge. After winning the CONMEBOL Libertadores U20 for the first time, the Valparaíso side will represent South American football against European giants Real Madrid in the CONMEBOL-UEFA Intercontinental U20 2026 decider. The one-off Final will be played this Saturday, 19 September, at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where both teams will look to add their name to the competition’s roll of honour for the first time.
The fifth edition of the tournament will feature an unprecedented setting: for the first time, the meeting between the youth champions of South America and Europe will be played on European soil. The first four editions were held in South American stadiums: the inaugural edition took place in Montevideo, the second in Buenos Aires and the last two in Rio de Janeiro.
For the Chilean side, the occasion offers an opportunity to extend a campaign that has already made club history, as well as the chance to test themselves against another of world football’s leading youth academies. Santiago Wanderers’ path to this decider has been defined by their ability to respond to adversity. In the CONMEBOL Libertadores U20, they progressed from the Group Stage after defeating Nacional and Belgrano and drawing with Liga de Quito. They then came from behind against Palmeiras in the Semi-finals, inspired by a Christian Silva brace, before recovering from another deficit in the Final against Flamengo.
Against the Brazilian side, Sebastián Vargas scored a late equaliser to send the contest to penalties. In the shootout, Santiago Wanderers completed the feat and became the first Chilean club to win the competition. That triumph earned them the opportunity to take on this intercontinental challenge in Madrid.
Felipe Salinas’ squad is already in Spain to complete its preparations. With the core of the team that achieved continental glory, ‘El Decano’ will look to bring to the Bernabéu the same character they displayed in the decisive stages of the South American tournament.
Real Madrid qualified after winning the UEFA Youth League against Club Brugge. The Spanish side will have home support as they attempt to add a trophy that is still missing from their youth honours. The competition has so far produced three different champions: Benfica, Boca Juniors and Flamengo, who have lifted the trophy twice.
For Santiago Wanderers, the aim is to take one more step after their historic continental triumph. From Valparaíso to the Santiago Bernabéu, the South American representatives will contest the Final in search of another remarkable achievement that would further enhance the legacy of a group of young players who have already earned their place in club history.
