Copa Chile Features Round of 16 and Schedule Changes

The 2026 Copa Chile is entering its decisive phase with the Round of 16 played in two-legged knockout matches. The tournament organization features changes promoted by the National Professional Football Association amidst adjustments to the sports schedule. The defined schedule impacts teams aiming to advance to the grand final of the national competition.

Round of 16 Defines the Path to the Final

The 2026 Copa Chile tournament features eight two-legged clashes in this Round of 16 stage. The winners of these ties secure direct spots in the quarterfinals, structuring the complete bracket up to the semifinals and the championship decision.

In this knockout phase, the regulations state that the club scoring the highest number of goals in the sum of both matches advances. Should the aggregate score be tied after regular time in both games, the spot will be decided by penalty shootouts.

Schedule Changes in the Competition Fixtures

The National Professional Football Association initially established the detailed schedule for the Round of 16 clashes. In the match between Universidad Católica and Unión La Calera, the first leg was set for Wednesday, September 23, at 8:30 PM. The return leg was scheduled for Saturday, September 26, at 5:30 PM.

However, the entity chose to reschedule the second game between the two clubs for 8:00 PM on the same Saturday, September 26, at Claro Arena. This unannounced time change surprised fans when purchasing tickets for the decisive match.

Reversal of Matches and Schedule Impact

With the Universidad Católica vs. Unión La Calera match changed to 8:00 PM, the championship schedule required other immediate adjustments. The clash between Ñublense and Puerto Montt, previously set for Saturday, September 26, at 8:00 PM, was therefore rescheduled.

Thus, the Ñublense vs. Puerto Montt match moved to 5:30 PM, taking over the time slot that originally belonged to the Universidad Católica match.

Battle for Audience Among TV Broadcasters

The reorganization of the tournament matches was prompted by a formal request from broadcaster TNT Sports. The direct objective of the request was to compete against the broadcast carried out by the MEGA channel and its corresponding application, MEGA GO.

On the same Saturday, September 26, at 8:00 PM, the MEGA channel and platform will broadcast the friendly match between the national teams of Chile and Canada. The sports broadcaster aimed to place the Universidad Católica vs. Unión La Calera game at the exact same time as the international friendly to gauge strength in television competition.

With information from 365Scores, Punto Cruzado.