Copa Uruguay 2026/27

Copa Uruguay (officially Copa AUF Uruguay) serves as the primary national knockout cup competition in Uruguayan football. Organized by the Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol (AUF), the tournament was established in April 2022 to fill a structural gap in the domestic calendar. It replaced the Torneo de Copa, which had been held only once in 1969.

The competition integrates the entire football pyramid, involving between 40 and 44 teams annually. This field includes all 16 Primera División clubs alongside top teams from the Segunda División, amateur divisions, and regional clubs from the Organización del Fútbol del Interior (OFI). The format typically begins with a group stage for professional teams, consisting of six groups of four, and a preliminary knockout for amateurs. These stages merge into a Round of 32, after which the tournament becomes a pure knockout affair.

From the Round of 32 onwards, the path to the title involves two-legged ties for the Round of 16, Quarter-finals, and Semi-finals. A notable rule protects lower-division participants: in the Round of 32, amateur teams host professional teams. The final is played as a single match at a neutral venue. The winner qualifies for the Copa Libertadores.

Defensor Sporting holds the record for success in the modern era, having won the first three editions. Defensor Sporting won the 2022, 2023, and 2024 titles. Peñarol won the 2025 edition, defeating Plaza Colonia 2–0 in the final. The 2026 edition is currently ongoing.

The tournament is distinct from the Uruguayan Primera División (Liga AUF Uruguaya), which operates as a league championship, and the Torneo Intermedio, a mid-season league tournament for top-tier clubs. The Copa Uruguay provides a national cup title and a continental qualification route for clubs outside the top-tier league structure.