Can the match be decided off the pitch? Boca Juniors and Vasco da Gama are already locked in a stadium showdown that could shape the 2026 Copa Sudamericana final.
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Vasco da Gama offered Boca a match at San Januário with fewer than 4,000 tickets. They’d receive the same number in Argentina. Boca turned it down, demanding the minimum set by CONMEBOL, said journalist Ezequiel Sosa on X.
The request targets a venue holding under 21,000 fans. Brazil would have to give up home advantage, yet could keep it if the visitors raise no objections. Boca refuses, insisting on a stadium that meets the regulations.
Vasco da Gama suggested using the Maracanã Stadium, but Rio de Janeiro officials warned that Brazil’s packed calendar might leave the venue unavailable for the semi‑final second leg of the Copa Sudamericana.
Both clubs must strike a deal on the second leg, or CONMEBOL will appoint a neutral ground likely favoring the Argentine side, which aims to bring 4,000‑plus fans to Brazil. For my money, the governing body will pick a larger arena to keep the competition fair.
Why Facundo Colidio is barred from facing Boca? Will his absence tilt the balance in Boca’s favor?
In the latest transfer window River officially released striker Facundo Colidio. His Copa Sudamericana debut sparked buzz, but that excitement evaporates because Vasco da Gama cannot field the Argentine forward who’s been in fine form.
The snag lies in Brazil’s paperwork nightmare: the club listed the player in good‑faith, and once eliminated he remains registered, meaning regulations forbid him from joining another squad while the tournament runs.