Fiesta CONMEBOL Evolución 2026 opens in Paraguay with big wins for Grêmio, River Plate and Antioquia

The 2026 Fiesta CONMEBOL Evolución started on Friday, July 31, at Parque Guasu in Asunción, Paraguay. CONMEBOL’s youth development finals bring together more than 700 players from 29 clubs, representing all ten South American member associations. The event runs until August 8 and includes three categories: U13 boys, U14 girls and U16 girls.

U14 Femenina: Deportivo Miranda and Grêmio set the tone

In the U14 girls’ competition, Venezuela’s Deportivo Miranda opened with a 1-0 win over Argentina’s River Plate. Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle beat Chile’s O’Higgins 2-0, and Colombia’s Antioquia edged Peru’s Sporting Cristal 1-0. The category’s most lopsided result came from Brazil’s Grêmio, which defeated Bolivia’s Bolívar 7-0.

U16 Femenina: River Plate cruise, Alianza Lima and Universidad Católica share points

River Plate’s U16 girls’ team beat Uruguay’s Peñarol 4-0. Alianza Lima of Peru and Universidad Católica of Chile drew 2-2. Paraguay’s Olimpia held Brazil’s São Paulo to 0-0, and Independiente del Valle finished the day with a 2-1 win over Antioquia.

U13 Masculino: Alianza Lima, River Plate and Antioquia dominate

In the U13 boys’ category, Alianza Lima defeated Venezuela’s Secasports 3-0. River Plate beat Olimpia 3-0, while Antioquia closed the round with a 6-0 victory against Uruguay’s Interbalnearia.

Opening day results at a glance

What is the Fiesta CONMEBOL Evolución?

CONMEBOL describes the Fiesta Evolución as the finals of the CONMEBOL Liga de Desarrollo, a grassroots competition held in each of the ten South American countries. According to the federation, the development league has involved more than 50,000 boys and girls in the same age groups now competing in Paraguay. The event is built around competition, learning and fun, with the stated goal of supporting the all-round development of young players and identifying future talent. CONMEBOL’s development directorate calls it one of the most important events on the federation’s annual calendar.

Why this tournament matters for football fans

For supporters following South American academies, the opening results offer early signs about clubs with strong youth setups. River Plate, Grêmio, Alianza Lima and São Paulo are among the recognizable names whose next generations are being tested in a continental setting. The tournament also gives girls’ youth football a rare continental stage, with results and live coverage treated with the same visibility as the boys’ competition.

How to follow the tournament and what happens next

The second matchday is scheduled for Saturday, August 1, with games in all three categories. CONMEBOL is live-streaming matches on its official YouTube channel, and the federation’s @conmeboltorneos Instagram account is sharing highlights and scorecards. For score verification, the official CONMEBOL website and YouTube channel remain the most reliable sources, since social media posts are secondary summaries.

What remains unclear

One detail in the official materials needs attention. CONMEBOL’s own match report refers to this as the seventh edition of the Fiesta Evolución, while the federation’s news feed and announcement describe it as the eighth edition. CONMEBOL has not yet published a correction. The numbering discrepancy does not affect the match results or the tournament schedule, but readers should be cautious when repeating the edition number until CONMEBOL clarifies it.

Source: https://www.conmebol.com/noticias/comenzo-la-accion-en-la-fiesta-conmebol-evolucion-2026/