2018 Copa Sudamericana first stage

The 2018 Copa Sudamericana first stage is scheduled to be played from 13 February to 10 May 2018. A total of 44 teams compete in the first stage to decide the 22 of the 32 places in the second stage of the 2018 Copa Sudamericana.

The draw for the first stage was held on 20 December 2017, 20:00 PYST (UTC−3), at the CONMEBOL Convention Centre in Luque, Paraguay. For the first stage, the teams were divided into two pots according to their geographical zones:

The 44 teams were drawn into 22 ties (G1–G22) between a team from Pot A and a team from Pot B, with the teams from Pot B hosting the second leg in odd-numbered ties, and the teams from Pot A hosting the second leg in even-numbered ties. This distribution ensured that teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same tie.

In the first stage, each tie is played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If tied on aggregate, the away goals rule is used. If still tied, extra time is not played, and the penalty shoot-out is used to determine the winner (Regulations Article 27).

The 22 winners of the first stage advance to the second stage to join the 10 teams transferred from the Copa Libertadores (two best teams eliminated in the third stage of qualifying and eight third-placed teams in the group stage).

The first legs will be played on 13 and 15 February, 20–22 February, and 10–12 April, and the second legs will be played on 6–8 March and 8–10 May 2018.

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