The draw for the Copa Libertadores group stage was held yesterday evening, 19 March 2026. Cusco FC qualified for the first time to Copa Libertadores under this name, and they returned to the competition after 7 years - their last presence was in the first stage of 2019, when they played under the old name Real Garcilaso and were knocked out by Deportivo La Guaira of Venezuela. Their last presence in the group stage was in 2018, when they classified last in their group.
This year they will have a difficult mission in Group A, where they will face the current Brazilian champions and Copa Libertadores title holders CR Flamengo, along with Argentinian 2025 Clausura champions Estudiantes La Plata and Colombian powerhouse Independiente Medellín (a.k.a. DIM). The top two teams will qualify for the round of 16, while the third-placed team will qualify for the knock-out round play-offs in Copa Sudamericana.
Cusco FC have had an unexpectedly poor start of the season, and are currently classified 13th (out of 18) in the 2026 Peruvian Liga 1, after 2 wins, 1 draw, and 4 defeats, totalling 7 points in 7 league games, despite maintaining the majority of players who contributed to the second place in the 2025 season and the same managerial team, led by Argentinian Miguel Rondelli, currently in his third season as manager of Cusco FC (but his position is in real danger). Cusco FC lost all their away matches so far in the league, and also lost at home to their city rivals Cienciano, 2-1, in their last game, on 15 March. However, in their previous game, on 7 March, Cusco FC succeeded to win 1-0 over their other city rivals, Deportivo Garcilaso. Their next game will be Saturday, 21 March, away at newly-promoted Deportivo Moquegua.
The first match for Cusco FC in Copa Libertadores will be on 7, 8 or 9 April at home against CR Flamengo. One can anticipate that Inca Garcilaso de la Vega Stadium will be full.
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