Cusco FC to face Flamengo, Estudiantes La Plata and Medellín in Group A of Copa Libertadores

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.

Alfredo "Chapu" Ramúa remains the player with most appearances in the history of Cusco FC (and former Real Garcilaso)

The statistics regarding most appearances and goals scored for Cusco FC (and former Real Garcilaso) did not change much at the end of the 2021 season. 

Cusco FC captain Alfredo "Chapu" Ramúa takes a free kick, always a dangerous moment for the opposite side. Source: dechalaca.com

Captain Alfredo "Chapu" Ramúa increases his lead in terms of appearances for the club, reaching a record-high 273 appearances for Cusco FC and previously for Real Garcilaso in the Peruvian First Division, and 325 appearances for the same club across all competitions. He was in the squad in 8 out of the 10 years when Cusco FC (or Real Garcilaso) competed in the First Division, missing only the first season (2012) and the 2016 season. None of those present in the 2021 roster reached the historic top 10. It is also true that the 2021 season was shorter due to the pandemic: Cusco FC played only 26 games in the First Division and 2 games in the Copa Bicentenario.

Danilo Carando remains the top goalscorer for Cusco FC / Real Garcilaso. Source: dechalaca.com

"El Gringo" Danilo Carando remains on top of the goalscorers statistics for the entire history of Cusco FC (and Real Garcilaso), with 53 goals scored in the Peruvian First Division and 61 goals across all competitions during his four years at the club (2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020). However, Alfredo Ramúa is closing in, in second place, with 45 goals in the First Division and 60 goals across all competitions (just one goal behind Danilo Carando). Mauricio Montes was the team goalscorer in 2021 with his 9 goals, and climbed in fifth position, with 22 goals for Cusco FC or Real Garcilaso in the First Division, and 23 goals across all competitions. There are no other changes in the top ten.

Top appearances for Real Garcilaso/Cusco FC in Peruvian Primera División, 2012-2021

(in bold, footballers who are still playing for Cusco FC)

 

No.	Name of the player	Nation.	Appearances	Period
1.	Alfredo Ramúa	ARG	273	2013-2015; 2017-
2.	Iván Santillán	PER	222	2012-2018
3.	Jhoel Herrera	PER	194	2012-2017; 2019
4.	Juan Diego Lojas	PER	144	2013-2018
5.	Danilo Carando	ARG	131	2015; 2017; 2019-20
6.	Edwin Retamoso	PER	121	2013-2017
7.	Marcio Valverde	PER	105	2015-2017
8.	Diego Carranza	ARG	96	2012-2015
9.	Ramón Rodríguez	PER	94	2012; 2014-2015
10.	César Ortiz	PER	84	2013-2015

Statistics are based on data provided by soccerway.com

 Top goalscorers for Real Garcilaso/Cusco FC in Peruvian Primera División, 2012-2021

(in bold, players who are still playing for Cusco FC)

 

No.	Name of the player	Nation.	Goals	Period
1.	Danilo Carando	ARG	53	2015; 2017; 2019-20
2.	Alfredo Ramúa	ARG	45	2013-2015; 2017-
3.	Ramón Rodríguez	PER	34	2012; 2014-2015
4.	Andy Pando	PER	27	2012
5.	Mauricio Montes	PER	22	2013; 2021-
6.	Marcio Valverde	PER	19	2015-2017
7.	Víctor Ferreira	PAR	18	2013-2014
	Fabio Ramos	PAR	18	2012-2013
9.	Iván Santillán	PER	15	2012-2018
10.	Jhonny Vidales	PER	13	2017-2018

Statistics are based on data provided by soccerway.com

Top appearances for Real Garcilaso/Cusco FC in all official domestic[1] and international[2] competitions, 2011-2021

(in bold, players that are still playing for Cusco FC)

 

No.	Name of the player	Nation.	Appearances	Period
1.	Alfredo Ramúa	ARG	325	2013-2015; 2017-
2.	Iván Santillán	PER	267	2012-2018
3.	Jhoel Herrera	PER	239	2012-2017; 2019
4.	Juan Diego Lojas	PER	182	2013-2018
5.	Edwin Retamoso	PER	162	2013-2017
6.	Danilo Carando	ARG	148	2015; 2017; 2019-20
7.	Diego Carranza	ARG	126	2012-2015
8.	Ramón Rodríguez	PER	125	2011-12; 2014-15
9.	Marcio Valverde	PER	119	2015-2017
10.	César Ortiz	PER	116	2013-2015

Statistics are based on data provided by soccerway.com

Top goalscorers for Real Garcilaso/Cusco FC in all official domestic[3] and international[4] competitions, 2011-2021

(in bold, players that are still playing for Cusco FC)

 

No.	Name of the player	Nation.	Goals	Period
1.	Danilo Carando	ARG	61	2015; 2017; 2019-20
2.	Alfredo Ramúa	ARG	60	2013-2015; 2017-
3.	Ramón Rodríguez	PER	41	2011-12; 2014-15
4.	Andy Pando	PER	27	2012
5.	Mauricio Montes	PER	23	2013; 2021-
	Víctor Ferreira	PAR	23	2013-2014
7.	Marcio Valverde	PER	21	2015-2017
8.	Fabio Ramos	PAR	19	2012-2013
9.	Ivan Santillán	PER	16	2012-2018
10.	Jhonny Vidales	PER	14	2017-2018
	Juan Diego Lojas	PER	14	2013-2018

Statistics are based on data provided by soccerway.com

---

[1] Peruvian Primera División (since 2012), Copa Bicentenario (2019 and 2021), Copa Inca (2014 and 2015), Torneo Intermedio (2011) and Copa Perú (2011 – national stage only).

[2] Copa Libertadores (2013, 2014, 2018 and 2019) and Copa Sudamericana (2016 and 2020).

[3] Peruvian Primera División (since 2012), Copa Bicentenario (2019 and 2021), Copa Inca (2014 and 2015), Torneo Intermedio (2011) and Copa Perú (2011 – national stage only).

[4] Copa Libertadores (2013, 2014, 2018 and 2019) and Copa Sudamericana (2016 and 2020).