Football in South America
Football in South America is the most popular hobby and professional sport played by the continent's inhabitants. Football was introduced to South America in the nineteenth century thanks to the worldwide diffusion of British culture caused by the British diaspora and the acceptance of the sport by the region's Anglophile elite. Widely regarded as a symbol of modernity and good health, football overtime displaced older fashionable sports such as Bochas to become, by the middle of the twentieth century, the primary mainstream sport throughout most of the continent.
The sport's organization is governed by domestic federations (or associations) and continental confederations, all members of FIFA. Most South American federations are part of CONMEBOL (the South American Football Confederation), with the exception of associations from The Guianas, which are part of CONCACAF (the North American Football Confederation). Football's development is also organized by these domestic and international federations in conjunction with governmental sports authorities. Every country in South America has a unique football development structure with varying results, arguably some more successful than others.
Organization
Domestic
CONMEBOL
Argentina: Primera División Argentina, governed by Argentine Football Federation
Bolivia: Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano, governed by Bolivian Football Federation
Brazil: Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, governed by Brazilian Football Confederation
Chile: Primera División de Chile, governed by Chilean Football Federation
Colombia: Categoría Primera A, governed by Colombian Football federation
Ecuador: Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol, governed by Ecuadorian Football Federation
Paraguay: Primera División Paraguaya, governed by Paraguayan Football Association
Peru: Torneo Descentralizado, organized by Peruvian Football Federation
Uruguay: Campeonato Uruguayo de Fútbol, governed by Uruguayan Football Federation
Venezuela: Primera División Venezolana, governed by Venezuelan Football Federation
CONCACAF
Guyana: GFF National Super League, organized by Guyana Football Federation
Suriname: Suriname Hoofdklasse, organized by Surinaamse Voetbal Bond
French Guiana: French Guiana Championnat National, organized by French Guiana Football League
French Guiana is in italics because they are a French overseas department, so, they can't affiliate to FIFA.
International
CONCACAF
CONMEBOL
- Copa Libertadores, major club competition of South America, with the champions (Unless they are Mexican, a CONCACAF member) qualifying to the FIFA Club World Cup
- Copa Sudamericana, second major club competition of South America, with the champions qualifying to the Copa Libertadores.
- Recopa Sudamericana, the meeting of the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana champions. If the same team wins both, no Recopa is disputed.
- Suruga Bank Championship, with the Copa Sudamericana and Japan's J. League Cup champions, disputed in Japan.