- The 'Tricolor' won Group C unbeaten, conceded just one goal in six matches and qualified directly for the Round of 16, where they will face Bolívar: the first leg will be played at altitude in La Paz on August 11, with the return fixture at the MorumBIS on August 18.
- Champions of the 2012 CONMEBOL Sudamericana and finalists in 2022, São Paulo are chasing a second title in the competition with Artur and Luciano as their leading scorers, Calleri as their attacking reference and Dorival Júnior back on the touchline.
São Paulo built their qualification on defensive security. The Brazilian side finished top of Group C with 12 points, recording three wins and three draws, and completed the six matchdays unbeaten, with six goals scored and just one conceded. They never trailed at any point and kept clean sheets in five of their six matches.
Their campaign began on a rainy and windy night in Montevideo. Fielding a rotated lineup, the 'Tricolor' defeated Boston River 1-0 thanks to an individual effort from Damián Bobadilla. They then beat O’Higgins 2-0 at the MorumBIS before going through a run of three consecutive draws — two goalless results away from home and a 1-1 draw against Millonarios — and finally secured top spot with another 2-0 victory over the Uruguayan side.
Two coaches oversaw the campaign. Roger Machado was in charge for the opening four matchdays and left the team unbeaten, while Dorival Júnior took over for the final two fixtures: he began with a draw against Millonarios before celebrating qualification against Boston River.
Defensive solidity sustained the team even when goals proved difficult to come by. Rafael and Carlos Coronel delivered in goal, while Artur and Luciano shared the scoring lead with two goals each. Calleri, meanwhile, did not score but provided both assists in the victory over O’Higgins.
Their Round of 16 opponents will be Bolívar, who dropped into the competition from the CONMEBOL Libertadores and eliminated Grêmio in the Playoffs with two victories: 3-2 in La Paz and 1-0 in Porto Alegre. São Paulo must first overcome the 3,600 metres of altitude at the Hernando Siles before looking to make home advantage count at the MorumBIS, where they remain unbeaten in this edition.
São Paulo in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Results and Schedule
Group Stage — Group C
Matchday 1: Boston River 0-1 São Paulo (Damián Bobadilla)
Matchday 2: São Paulo 2-0 O’Higgins (Luciano and Artur, both assisted by Jonathan Calleri)
Matchday 3: Millonarios 0-0 São Paulo
Matchday 4: O’Higgins 0-0 São Paulo
Matchday 5: São Paulo 1-1 Millonarios (Luciano, assisted by Wendell / Jorge Hurtado)
Matchday 6: São Paulo 2-0 Boston River (Artur, assisted by André Silva, and Juan Acosta, own goal, following a cross from Artur)
CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16
First Leg: Bolívar vs. São Paulo — Tuesday, August 11, 8:30 p.m. Bolivia time / 9:30 p.m. Brazil time, Hernando Siles Stadium, La Paz
Second Leg: São Paulo vs. Bolívar — Tuesday, August 18, 9:30 p.m. Brazil time, MorumBIS Stadium, São Paulo
São Paulo Coach in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Dorival Júnior
Dorival Júnior began his third spell with São Paulo in May 2026, following the departure of Roger Machado. The coach returned to a club that holds an important place in his career: during his previous tenure, he guided the 'Tricolor' to the 2023 Copa do Brasil title, the first in the club’s history, before leaving to take charge of the Brazil national team.
His first spell with São Paulo ran from 2017 to 2018, while his second lasted from April 2023 to January 2024. Dorival also won the 2022 CONMEBOL Libertadores and Copa do Brasil with Flamengo, and his extensive managerial career includes spells with Santos, Internacional, Atlético Mineiro, Athletico Paranaense, Ceará, Corinthians and several other major Brazilian clubs.
In the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana, he inherited an unbeaten side and completed the job of guiding them to top spot in the group. His continental debut came in a 1-1 draw against Millonarios and, one week later, São Paulo defeated Boston River 2-0 to avoid the Playoffs.
Dorival took over a team built around attacking full-backs, midfielders capable of controlling possession and an offensive structure in which Luciano operates behind Calleri. The arrival of new players during the break has expanded his options, particularly in a defence that had undergone several departures.
Full São Paulo Squad for the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana
Goalkeepers: 23. Rafael Pires - 31. Carlos Coronel - 41. João Pantiga - 52. Felipe Preis.
Defenders: 2. Rafael Toloi - 5. Robert Arboleda - 12. Iago Amaral Borduchi - 13. Enzo Diaz - 18. Wendell Nascimento - 19. Lucas Batista - 20. Aurelio Ulineia - 21. Cedric Alves - 22. Domingos De Sousa Coutinho - 35. Jose Chagas - 40. Igor Teixeira - 42. Maik Gomes - 43. Guilherme Reis - 44. Matheus Jose Belem De Souza - 51. Igor Odoni - 53. Isac Silvestre - 54. Luis Messias - 56. Nicolas Bosshardt - 60. Felipe Oliveira.
Midfielders: 8. Marcos Silva - 16. Damian Bobadilla - 28. Newton Araujo - 29. Pablo Gonçalves Maia - 33. Luan Da Silva - 38. Hugo Nunes - 46. Pedro Ferreira - 48. Djhordney Ferreira - 55. Matheus Ferreira - 58. Pedro Bezerra - 59. Robert Andrade - 80. Cauly Oliveira - 94. Daniel De Oliveira.
Forwards: 7. Lucas Rodrigues Moura - 9. Jonathan Calleri - 10. Luciano Da Rocha - 11. Aldemir Dos Santos - 17. Andre Oliveira - 27. João Santos - 34. Perivan Dos Santos - 37. Artur Victor - 39. Paulo Venuto - 45. Lucca Marques - 47. Brenno De Paula - 49. Ryan Rodrigues Dos Santos - 57. Juan Potes.
São Paulo Key Player in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Artur
Artur joined on loan from Botafogo at the end of March, just days before São Paulo’s continental debut, and quickly became one of the team’s most dangerous attacking players. He finished the Group Stage with two goals and a decisive contribution to another.
His first goal came against O’Higgins: after receiving the ball from Calleri, he found space inside the area and finished to make it 2-0. On the final matchday, he opened the scoring against Boston River after a cutback from André Silva and, minutes later, forced Juan Acosta’s own goal with another run down the right.
Left-footed, quick and capable of playing on either flank, Artur gives the team a different dimension. He can receive the ball out wide and take on defenders, but he can also drift inside to combine centrally. That movement is important in supporting Luciano and Calleri without making the attack overly dependent on the centre-forward’s positioning.
The winger shares top spot with Luciano among São Paulo’s scorers in the competition. His influence, however, has gone beyond goals: he was directly involved in half of the 'Tricolor’s' six goals during the Group Stage.
São Paulo Top Scorer in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Luciano
Luciano scored two goals and shares the team’s lead in the competition with Artur. Both came at the MorumBIS and from outside the penalty area: he opened the scoring in the win over O’Higgins and also found the net in the draw against Millonarios.
The second carried particular importance. São Paulo were enduring a difficult match when the No. 10 received the ball from Wendell and tried his luck from distance. The Colombian goalkeeper failed to deal cleanly with the shot and the ball ended up in the net. Millonarios equalised in the second half, but Luciano’s goal allowed the Brazilian side to remain top of the group heading into the decisive final matchday.
Since joining the club in 2020, Luciano has surpassed 110 goals for São Paulo and established himself among the leading scorers in the club’s history. He was also part of the squads that won the 2021 Campeonato Paulista, the 2023 Copa do Brasil and the 2024 Supercopa do Brasil.
His connection with the CONMEBOL Sudamericana goes back several years. He scored during the run to the 2022 Final and played a decisive role in the elimination of San Lorenzo in 2023. At 33, he remains one of the players who best understands the emotional weight of major nights at the MorumBIS.
São Paulo Factor X in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Jonathan Calleri
Calleri has yet to score in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana, but his involvement was behind two of the team’s best goals. Against O’Higgins, he first set up Luciano with a layoff outside the box and then assisted Artur, completing a performance in which he operated as both a creator and an attacking reference point.
The Argentine is São Paulo’s leading scorer this season and is enjoying his best year since the serious knee injury he suffered in 2025. His presence forces defenders to drop deeper, opens space for the attacking midfielders and gives the team a direct outlet when they need to bypass the build-up from the back.
Calleri also knows the competition well. He was São Paulo’s leading scorer during their run to the 2022 Final and scored important goals against Universidad Católica, Ceará and Atlético Goianiense. His bond with the club has also established him as one of the captains and leaders of the dressing room.
São Paulo History in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana
São Paulo won the CONMEBOL Sudamericana in 2012 with an unbeaten campaign. Ney Franco’s side eliminated Bahia, Liga de Loja, Universidad de Chile and Universidad Católica before facing Tigre in the Final.
Their relationship with the competition continued in the following seasons. São Paulo reached the Semi-finals in 2013 and 2014 and returned to the Final in 2022. That run included emphatic victories over Universidad Católica and Atlético Goianiense, but ended with a 2-0 defeat to Independiente del Valle in Córdoba.
The club boasts one of the most prestigious international honours lists on the continent. São Paulo have won the CONMEBOL Libertadores three times — in 1992, 1993 and 2005 — as well as three world titles, two CONMEBOL Recopas, the Supercopa Sudamericana, the Copa CONMEBOL and the Copa Master CONMEBOL, in addition to their CONMEBOL Sudamericana crown.
The 2026 edition represents another opportunity to add a second 'Gran Conquista'. An unbeaten first-place finish in the group, five clean sheets and the precedent of 2012 are all reasons for belief in a team that knows the path. Before returning to the MorumBIS, however, São Paulo must first overcome one of the continent’s toughest challenges: Bolívar and the altitude of La Paz.
