The 45th South American Futsal Championship (South Zone), staged in Paraguay’s captial Asunción, concluded successfully with strong showings from the Paraguayan contingent. Atenas emerged as the standout Paraguayan side, finishing as runners-up after a hard-fought final against Cotas Juniors of Bolivia, from Santa Cruz de la Sierra. The decisive match ended 0-0 after regular time, with Cotas Juniors claiming the title 2-1 on penalties.
In the shoot-out, Cotas opened the scoring through Paraguayan Diego Melgarejo. Andrés Rivas levelled for Atenas to make it 1-1. Vargas then struck the right-hand post for Cotas, before Atenas’s Cristian Martínez saw his effort saved by the Bolivian goalkeeper. Santiago Martínez restored Cotas’s lead at 1-2, and Adolfo Román’s subsequent penalty was brilliantly stopped by Campos, sealing the Bolivian victory.
Individual awards and Paraguayan bronze
Despite the narrow defeat, Atenas’s defensive resilience stood out. Their goalkeepers, Iván García and Ariel Fatecha, shared the award for the fewest goals conceded throughout the tournament.
The other Paraguayan team, 12 de Junio, claimed third place with a 9-6 win over San Miguel de Rocha of Uruguay in the play-off match.
Colombian forward Kevin Ariza of Cotas Juniors finished as the competition’s top scorer with eight goals. Atenas’s goalkeeping pair, as noted, claimed the clean-sheet award.
A long weekend of futsal
The prestigious South American Futsal Championship tournament, organised by the World Futsal Association, took place from 28 July to 1 August, 2026. All matches were played at the Luis Oscar Giagni Miers Sports Centre of Club Sol de América, providing a central and well-equipped venue for the international competition. The championship represented a significant event in the regional futsal calendar, drawing attention from enthusiasts across several nations.
The organisation of the tournament also highlighted Asunción’s capacity to host major sporting events and underscored the popularity of futsal in Paraguay.
Final classification
- 1. Cotas Juniors (Bolivia),
- 2. Atenas (Paraguay),
- 3. 12 de Junio (Paraguay),
- 4. San Miguel (Uruguay),
- 5. SAF (Brazil),
- 6. Churros (Chile),
- 7. Palermo (Uruguay),
- 8. Furia Cruceña (Bolivia).
Also read: After 17 Years Of Waiting: Caaguazú Crowned Paraguayan Futsal Champions Again.
