General Caballero JLM and Sportivo 2 de Mayo have reached the final of the Copa Paraguay, to be played on Sunday 16 November, 2025. This edition of the tournament delivers a unique milestone: for the first time in the competition’s brief history, two small sides from the interior of Paraguay, far away from the capital Asunción, will battle for national glory.
The match will take place at the Rio Parapití Stadium in Pedro Juan Caballero, home of 2 de Mayo. The venue was selected by draw, following an agreement between both presidents. The ground already carries historical weight; it hosted the first ever Copa Paraguay final in 2018, when Guaraní were crowned champions against Olimpia.
“Everyone´s Cup”
The tournament’s slogan, La Copa de todos (Everyone’s Cup) has rarely felt more fitting. From its conception, the competition was meant to offer equal participation to all clubs within Paraguayan football. Even its name reflects that ethos; supporters voted for it on the Paraguayan Football Association (APF) website.
Including the preliminary phases, up to 75 clubs from all divisions took part this year. Through cooperation between the APF and the Interior Football Organisation (UFI), even semi-professional sides from regional and departmental leagues are given the chance to compete. These qualifying rounds revealed extraordinary stories from the very heart of Paraguayan football.
In 2024, the APF launched the women’s edition of the Copa Paraguay, featuring four teams from the top division and four from outside the capital. Cerro Porteño became the inaugural champions. The APF highlighted the spirit of the tournament, stating that “The Copa Paraguay continues to establish itself as a true national celebration, where clubs from all categories share the same dream and the entire country vibrates under a single passion: football.”
Champions and unforgettable stories
Libertad are the most successful side in the competition, with three titles. Guaraní, the first ever cup winner, are tied with Olimpia. From there the narrative shifts to one of the Cup’s most emotional triumphs: Sportivo Ameliano, a modest team from the capital, who defied the odds and lifted the trophy in Encarnación after an unforgettable win against Nacional.
Nacional is also the team with the most final defeats (2). The first goal in Copa Paraguay history was scored by historic Paraguayan player Nelson Haedo Valdez, the “Guaraní Lion”, for Cerro Porteño against Cristóbal Colón of the city J. Augusto Saldívar.
Cristóbal Colón also gave the Cup its first viral tale. Their player Mario Ricardo, blind in one eye, scored a stunning long-range strike against Cerro Porteño. The goal captured national and international headlines, with many suggesting it was worthy of the Puskás Award, the prize for world’s most beautiful goal of the season. His story had a fairytale ending: he soon signed his first major professional contract, joining Sol de América.
From uneven, grassless pitches to the Copa Paraguay
Another remarkable chapter belongs to Club Puerto Diana, a small side from Bahía Negra in Alto Paraguay, representing mainly members of the Ishir indigenous community. UFI granted them the right to participate in 2019 due to their strong regional performances.
Despite travelling long distances and training on uneven, grassless pitches, their debut became one of the Cup’s most iconic moments. Although they were defeated, clubs and companies provided them with boots and equipment for their historic appearance, perfectly embodying the essence of Everyone’s Cup.
A tournament that belongs to the whole country
The Copa Paraguay has consistently proven to be more than a competition. It is a window into the diversity of Paraguayan football, a bridge between regions, and a celebration of community identity.
It allows amateurs to challenge professionals, indigenous teams to face powerful clubs, and forgotten towns to appear on national broadcasts. For many players, it is their first opportunity to travel, to experience a professional stadium, or to dream of something greater.
As the country looks ahead to the final in Pedro Juan Caballero, anticipation grows not only among the supporters of the two finalists, but across Paraguay. The tournament once again demonstrates that football remains one of the nation’s strongest engines of unity and pride.
A final worthy of the cup
The decisive encounter will crown a new champion of a competition that, year after year, carries football to every corner of Paraguay. It reflects the spirit of unity, development and inclusion that drives the APF.
In a country where football is woven into daily life, this historic final stands as proof that greatness does not belong only to the giants, but to all who dare to dream because the Copa Paraguay, true to its name, genuinely belongs to everyone.
