Copa Interamericana
The trophy given to champions.
|
|
| Founded | 1968 |
|---|---|
| Abolished | 1998 |
| Region |
North America (CONCACAF) South America (CONMEBOL) |
| Number of teams | 2 |
| Last champions |  D.C. United (1st title) |
| Most successful club(s) |  Independiente (3 titles) |
The Copa Interamericana (English: Interamerican Cup) was an annual club football competition organized by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (CONMEBOL) since 1969. It was discontinued in 1998 after CONCACAF clubs, particularly those from Mexico, began participating in CONMEBOL competitions. The Interamerican Cup was founded as a result of the refusal from CONMEBOL and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) of allowing CONCACAF clubs, as well as those from other confederations, to participate in the European/South American Cup, later known as the Toyota Cup and informally called the Intercontinental Cup.
The competition was supposed to be contested between the winners of the North American CONCACAF Champions Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores tournaments although the participants have varied at times. The format of the competition was extremely sporadic. From its formation, the competition was usually contested over a two legged tie, with a playoff if necessary until 1968, and penalty kicks later. However, it was common for several consecutive editions to go undisputed. Of the 17 competitions played out, four of them were disputed over several matches in just one venue. Two others were held in a single match. Another two editions had participants that didn't outright qualify to dispute the competition. Most of the editions were disputed one, and sometimes two, years after the participants have qualified to dispute it. This was the result of the lack of financial incentives and the low relevance of the competition.
The 17 Interamerican Cup tournaments have been won by 13 different club teams. Argentine side Independiente has won a record three titles. The last winner of the cup was American side D.C. United, defeating Brazilian side Vasco da Gama 2-1 on aggregate in 1998. Argentina was the most successful national league with seven titles, while Uruguayan outfit Nacional and Independiente share the record for the most appearances with three each.
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