| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | February 5 - April 15 |
| Teams | 17 (from 8 confederations) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Peñarol (3rd title) |
| Runners-up |  River Plate |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 95 |
| Goals scored | 283 (2.98 per match) |
| Top scorer | Daniel Onega (17 goals) |
←1965 1967 → | |
The1966 Copa Libertadores de América was the seventh edition of the premier South American clubfootball tournament, organized byCONMEBOL.Colombia andBrazil did not send their representatives. This edition became the first club competition of the world to include not just the champions but also the runners-up of each of its participating association. Despite the fact that Colombian and Brazilian clubs did not participate, this tournament saw a record 95 matches being played out to determine the year's champion.
Colombia did not send a representative due to the disagreements between CONMEBOL and the Colombian football federations. The Brazilians protested the inclusion of the runners-up of each nation and argued that the tournament should be reserved for national champions. That led them to become denatured and the powers reserved only for the champions, in addition to the priority order they gave their interstate tournaments and the many unattractive encounters-to-come against teams from the "Pacific", the Brazilian clubs opted for tours around the world instead as they were seen more economically rewarding. Not having any economic incentives, CONMEBOL was forced to allow clubs the freedom of whether they participated or not. This trend will continue for the next 5 editions.
After winning each of their home legs,Peñarol andRiver Plate required a playoff to break the deadlock. The match was played in theEstadio Nacional ofSantiago,Chile. River Plate finished the first half 2-0 and was in cruise control towards its first title. Themanyas managed to revert the disadvantage to push this match into extra time. With two more goals, the final score of 2-4 meant that Peñarol became the first three-time winners of the competition. The collapse of River Plate in the second half led the club to being known, even now, as the "gallinas".
| Country | Team | Qualification method |
|---|---|---|
| CONMEBOL (1 berth) | Independiente | 1965 Copa Libertadores winners |
| Argentina (2 berths) | Boca Juniors | 1965 Primera División champion |
| River Plate | 1965 Primera División runner-up | |
 Bolivia(2 berths) | Deportivo Municipal | 1965Copa Simón Bolívar champion |
| Jorge Wilstermann | 1965Copa Simón Bolívar runner-up | |
 Chile(2 berths) | Universidad de Chile | 1965Primera División champion |
| Universidad Católica | 1965Primera División runner-up | |
 Ecuador(2 berths) | Emelec | 1965 Campeonato Ecuatoriano champion |
| 9 de Octubre | 1965 Campeonato Ecuatoriano runner-up | |
 Paraguay(2 berths) | Olimpia | 1965 Primera División champion |
| Guaraní | 1965 Primera División runner-up | |
 Peru(2 berths) | Alianza Lima | 1965 Primera División champion |
| Universitario | 1965 Primera División runner-up | |
| Uruguay (2 berths) | Peñarol | 1965 Primera División champion |
| Nacional | 1965 Primera División runner-up | |
 Venezuela(2 berths) | Lara | 1965Primera División champion |
| Deportivo Italia | 1965Primera División runner-up |
Sixteen teams were drawn into two groups of six and one group of four. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top two teams in each group advanced to the Second round.Independiente, the title holders, had abye to the next round.
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 |
|---|---|---|
At each stage of the tournament teams receive 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and no points for a loss. If two or more teams are equal on points, the following criteria will be applied to determine the ranking in the group stage:
Sixteen teams were drawn into two groups of six and one group of four. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top two teams in each group advanced to the Semifinals.Independiente, the title holders, had abye to the next round.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | RIV | BOC | UNI | ITA | ALI | LAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | River Plate | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 8 | +15 | 17 | Qualified to theSemifinals | 2–1 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | ||
| 2 | Boca Juniors | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 9 | +10 | 14 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | |||
| 3 | Universitario | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 13 | −3 | 11 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | |||
| 4 | Deportivo Italia | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 18 | −3 | 10 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | |||
| 5 | Alianza Lima | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 16 | −7 | 4 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | |||
| 6 | Lara | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 17 | −12 | 4 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
vAlianza Lima| February 5, 1966 | Universitario | 2 – 0 | Alianza Lima | Lima |
Chumpitaz Challe |
vDeportivo Italia| February 5, 1966 | Lara | 1 – 1 | Deportivo Italia | Barquisimeto |
| Paulinho | Nitti |
vAlianza Lima| February 8, 1966 | Lara | 2 – 1 | Alianza Lima | Barquisimeto |
| Paulinho Jair | León |
vUniversitario| February 9, 1966 | Deportivo Italia | 2 – 2 | Universitario | Caracas |
| Zeica Tacoronte | Uribe Chumpitaz |
vBoca Juniors| February 10, 1966 | River Plate | 2 – 1 | Boca Juniors | Buenos Aires |
| Sarnari Bayo | Rojas |
vAlianza Lima| February 12, 1966 | Deportivo Italia | 3 – 1 | Alianza Lima | Caracas |
| Tacoronte Zeica Nitti | Flores |
vUniversitario| February 12, 1966 | Lara | 0 – 0 | Universitario | Barquisimeto |
vRiver Plate| February 15, 1966 | Lara | 1 – 2 | River Plate | Barquisimeto |
| Didi II | Onega |
vBoca Juniors| February 17, 1966 | Universitario | 2 – 1 | Boca Juniors | Lima |
| Challe Casaretto | Zarich |
vRiver Plate| February 17, 1966 | Deportivo Italia | 0 – 3 | River Plate | Caracas |
| Onega Solari Sarnari |
vBoca Juniors| February 19, 1966 | Alianza Lima | 0 – 1 | Boca Juniors | Lima |
| Rojas |
vBoca Juniors| February 23, 1966 | Deportivo Italia | 1 – 2 | Boca Juniors | Caracas |
| Vicente | Zarich Rojas |
vRiver Plate| February 23, 1966 | Universitario | 1 – 1 | River Plate | Lima |
| Casaretto | Onega |
vBoca Juniors| February 25, 1966 | Lara | 0 – 3 | Boca Juniors | Barquisimeto |
| Rojas Luna |
vRiver Plate| February 26, 1966 | Alianza Lima | 0 – 2 | River Plate | Lima |
| Onega Matosas |
vDeportivo Italia| March 1, 1966 | Alianza Lima | 1 – 2 | Deportivo Italia | Lima |
| Renato o.g.' | Zeica |
vUniversitario| March 2, 1966 | River Plate | 5 – 0 | Universitario | Buenos Aires |
| Onega Cubilla Loayza |
vLara| March 2, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 2 – 1 | Lara | Buenos Aires |
| López Rojas | Bezerra |
vLara| March 4, 1966 | River Plate | 3 – 0 | Lara | Buenos Aires |
| Loayza Delem |
vAlianza Lima| March 8, 1966 | River Plate | 3 – 2 | Alianza Lima | Buenos Aires |
| Loayza Onega Zywica | Zegarra |
vDeportivo Italia| March 8, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 5 – 2 | Deportivo Italia | Buenos Aires |
| Menéndez Aimonetti Rojas Luna | Nitti |
vLara| March 8, 1966 | Universitario | 1 – 0 | Lara | Lima |
| Córdova |
vDeportivo Italia| March 10, 1966 | River Plate | 2 – 1 | Deportivo Italia | Buenos Aires |
| Loayza Onega | Nitti |
vAlianza Lima| March 10, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 0 – 1 | Alianza Lima | Buenos Aires |
| Zegarra |
vLara| March 13, 1966 | Alianza Lima | 3 – 0 | Lara | Lima |
| Zegarra Reyes |
vDeportivo Italia| March 13, 1966 | Universitario | 1 – 2 | Deportivo Italia | Lima |
| Calatayud | Nitti Tacoronte |
vLara| March 17, 1966 | Deportivo Italia | 1 – 0 | Lara | Caracas |
| Nitti |
vUniversitario| March 18, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 2 – 0 | Universitario | Buenos Aires |
| Marzolini Rojas |
vUniversitario| March 23, 1966 | Alianza Lima | 0 – 1 [A] | Universitario | Lima |
| Uribe |
vRiver Plate| March 24, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 2 – 0 | River Plate | Buenos Aires |
| Rojas |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | CAT | GUA | OLI | UCH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Universidad Católica | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 7 | Qualified to theSemifinals | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | ||
| 2 | Guaraní | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | |||
| 3 | Olimpia | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 6 | 0–4 | 3–3 | 2–0 | |||
| 4 | Universidad de Chile | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 5 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 |
vUniversidad Católica| March 2, 1966 | Universidad de Chile | 0 – 0 | Universidad Católica | Santiago |
vGuaraní| March 5, 1966 | Universidad Católica | 2 – 0 | Guaraní | Santiago |
| Gallardo Tobar |
vOlimpia| March 5, 1966 | Universidad de Chile | 1 – 2 | Olimpia | Santiago |
| Sánchez | Torres |
vGuaraní| March 8, 1966 | Universidad de Chile | 2 – 0 | Guaraní | Santiago |
| Marcos Araya |
vOlimpia| March 8, 1966 | Universidad Católica | 0 – 0 | Olimpia | Santiago |
vUniversidad de Chile| March 11, 1966 | Guaraní | 1 – 1 | Universidad de Chile | Asunción |
| Arámbulo | Sánchez |
vUniversidad Católica| March 11, 1966 | Olimpia | 0 – 4 | Universidad Católica | Asunción |
| Tobar Prieto |
vUniversidad Católica| March 16, 1966 | Guaraní | 3 – 1 | Universidad Católica | Asunción |
| Patiño González Arámbulo | Fouilloux |
vUniversidad de Chile| March 16, 1966 | Olimpia | 2 – 0 | Universidad de Chile | Asunción |
| Torres González |
vUniversidad de Chile| March 20, 1966 | Universidad Católica | 2 – 2 | Universidad de Chile | Santiago |
| Prieto Fouilloux | Marcos Campos |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | PEÑ | NAC | WIL | MUN | EME | 9DO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peñarol | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 10 | +10 | 16 | Qualified to theSemifinals | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | ||
| 2 | Nacional | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 10 | +12 | 15 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | |||
| 3 | Jorge Wilstermann | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | |||
| 4 | Deportivo Municipal | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 22 | −1 | 9 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | |||
| 5 | Emelec | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 18 | −3 | 8 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |||
| 6 | 9 de Octubre | 10 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 13 | 31 | −18 | 2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 3–4 | 0–4 |
v9 de Octubre| January 30, 1966 | Emelec | 2 – 1 | 9 de Octubre | Guayaquil |
| Pulido Lencina | Fernández |
vJorge Wilstermann| January 30, 1966 | Deportivo Municipal | 1 – 1 | Jorge Wilstermann | La Paz |
| Di Meglio | García |
vNacional| February 2, 1966 | Deportivo Municipal | 3 – 2 | Nacional | La Paz |
| Di Meglio Quevedo | Oyarbide Virgili |
vPeñarol| February 2, 1966 | Jorge Wilstermann | 1 – 0 | Peñarol | Cochabamba |
| García |
vPeñarol| February 6, 1966 | 9 de Octubre | 1 – 2 | Peñarol | Guayaquil |
| Grijo | Rocha Spencer |
vNacional| February 9, 1966 | 9 de Octubre | 2 – 3 | Nacional | Guayaquil |
| Álvarez o.g.' Fernández | Morales Pérez |
vPeñarol| February 13, 1966 | Deportivo Municipal | 1 – 2 | Peñarol | La Paz |
| Caínzo | Abbadie Spencer |
vNacional| February 13, 1966 | Jorge Wilstermann | 0 – 0 | Nacional | Cochabamba |
vJorge Wilstermann| February 19, 1966 | Emelec | 3 – 1 | Jorge Wilstermann | Guayaquil |
| Lencina Calonga | Soria |
vDeportivo Municipal| February 19, 1966 | 9 de Octubre | 3 – 4 | Deportivo Municipal | Guayaquil |
| Bono Fernández Grijo | Moyano Castillo |
vJorge Wilstermann| February 24, 1966 | 9 de Octubre | 3 – 2 | Jorge Wilstermann | Guayaquil |
| Fernández Bono Grijo | García López |
vDeportivo Municipal| February 24, 1966 | Emelec | 2 – 1 | Deportivo Municipal | Guayaquil |
| Lencina Merizalde | Di Meglio |
vDeportivo Municipal| March 2, 1966 | Nacional | 4 – 1 | Deportivo Municipal | Montevideo |
| Morales Virgili | Moyano |
vJorge Wilstermann| March 2, 1966 | Peñarol | 2 – 0 | Jorge Wilstermann | Montevideo |
| Silva |
vJorge Wilstermann| March 5, 1966 | Nacional | 3 – 0 | Jorge Wilstermann | Montevideo |
| Morales Virgili Ramos |
vDeportivo Municipal| March 5, 1966 | Peñarol | 3 – 1 | Deportivo Municipal | Montevideo |
| Silva Spencer Joya | Moyano |
v9 de Octubre| March 8, 1966 | Peñarol | 2 – 0 | 9 de Octubre | Montevideo |
| Caetano Rocha |
v9 de Octubre| March 11, 1966 | Nacional | 3 – 1 | 9 de Octubre | Montevideo |
| Ramos Morales | Fernández |
vEmelec| March 13, 1966 | Jorge Wilstermann | 2 – 1 | Emelec | Cochabamba |
| López Zabalaga | Pineda |
v9 de Octubre| March 17, 1966 | Jorge Wilstermann | 4 – 1 | 9 de Octubre | Cochabamba |
| García Agreda López | Fernández |
vEmelec| March 17, 1966 | Deportivo Municipal | 4 – 1 | Emelec | La Paz |
| Torres Moyano Aguirre | Bolaños |
v9 de Octubre| March 19, 1966 | Deportivo Municipal | 5 – 1 | 9 de Octubre | La Paz |
| Moyano Caínzo Castillo Espinoza Aguirre | Fernández |
vDeportivo Municipal| March 23, 1966 | Jorge Wilstermann | 3 – 0 | Deportivo Municipal | Cochabamba |
| García López |
vEmelec| March 23, 1966 | 9 de Octubre | 0 – 4 | Emelec | Guayaquil |
| Lencina Fernández o.g.' |
Seven teams were drawn into two groups, one of four and the other of three. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top team in each group advanced to the Finals.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | RIV | IND | BOC | GUA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | River Plate | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 8 | +5 | 8 | Qualified to theFinal | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | ||
| 2 | Independiente | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 8 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | |||
| 3 | Boca Juniors | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 7 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | |||
| 4 | Guaraní | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 14 | −9 | 1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
vBoca Juniors| March 30, 1966 | Guaraní | 1 – 3 | Boca Juniors | Asunción |
| González | Menéndez Rojas |
vRiver Plate| April 6, 1966 | Guaraní | 1 – 3 | River Plate | Asunción |
| González | Solari Onega Loayza |
vIndependiente| April 8, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 0 – 2 | Independiente | Buenos Aires |
| Cardoso Tarabini |
vRiver Plate| April 12, 1966 | Independiente | 1 – 1 | River Plate | Avellaneda |
| Tarabini | Solari |
vBoca Juniors| April 14, 1966 | River Plate | 2 – 2 | Boca Juniors | Buenos Aires |
| Sarnari Silvero o.g.' | Madurga Rojas |
vIndependiente| April 14, 1966 | Guaraní | 0 – 2 | Independiente | Asunción |
| Cardoso Pastoriza |
vIndependiente| April 19, 1966 | River Plate | 4 – 2 | Independiente | Buenos Aires |
| Onega Sarnari | Savoy |
vGuaraní| April 19, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 1 – 1 | Guaraní | Buenos Aires |
| Rojas | Melgarejo |
vGuaraní| April 21, 1966 | River Plate | 3 – 1 | Guaraní | Buenos Aires |
| Onega Loayza | Martínez |
vGuaraní| April 26, 1966 | Independiente | 2 – 1 | Guaraní | Avellaneda |
| Tarabini Savoy | Navarro o.g.' |
vBoca Juniors| April 29, 1966 | Independiente | 0 – 0 | Boca Juniors | Avellaneda |
vRiver Plate| May 4, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 1 – 0 | River Plate | Buenos Aires |
| Rojas |
vIndependiente| May 10, 1966First place playoff | River Plate | 2 – 1 | Independiente | Buenos Aires |
| Onega Cubilla | Artime |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | PEÑ | CAT | NAC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peñarol | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 6 | Qualified to theFinal | 2–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 2 | Universidad Católica | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 4 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |||
| 3 | Nacional | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 2 | 0–1 | 3–2 |
vPeñarol| March 30, 1966 | Universidad Católica | 1 – 0 | Peñarol | Santiago |
| Ibañez |
vNacional| April 2, 1966 | Universidad Católica | 1 – 0 | Nacional | Santiago |
| Inostroza |
vUniversidad Católica| April 14, 1966 | Nacional | 3 – 2 | Universidad Católica | Montevideo |
| Virgili Oyarbide | Tobar Inostroza |
vUniversidad Católica| April 19, 1966 | Peñarol | 2 – 0 | Universidad Católica | Montevideo |
| Rocha Joya |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peñarol | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 2 |
| 2 | River Plate | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 2 |
| Peñarol | 2–0 | River Plate |
|---|---|---|
| Abbadie 74' Joya 84' |
| Copa Libertadores de América 1966 Champion |
|---|
 Peñarol Third Title |
