Atlético Nacional and América de Cali Clash in Copa BetPlay 2024 Final

On December 12, 2024, Atlético Nacional and América de Cali faced off in the first leg of the Copa BetPlay 2024 final at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín, Colombia. This highly anticipated match marks a significant moment in Colombian football, with both teams aiming to secure the title and a spot in the 2025 Copa Conmebol Sudamericana.

Atlético Nacional, known as the ‘Rey de Copas’ (King of Cups), is seeking its 34th title and seventh Copa BetPlay trophy. The team, led by coach Efraín Juárez, has been in strong form, having defeated Deportivo Independiente de Medellín 2-1 in the semifinals and securing consecutive victories against Pasto and Santa Fe in the Liga BetPlay cuadrangulares.

América de Cali, on the other hand, qualified for the final by defeating Bucaramanga 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in the semifinals. Coached by Jorge da Silva, América de Cali faces a challenging task, especially after being eliminated in the cuadrangulares of the Liga BetPlay. They need to secure a significant advantage as the away team to boost their chances of winning the title in the return leg at home.

The match kicked off at 7:30 PM local time and was broadcast on Win Sports+ and available for streaming through the Antena 2 YouTube channel. For fans abroad, the game could be accessed using a virtual private network (VPN) to connect to local Colombian channels.

This final marks the first time in 22 years that these two teams have met in a final, with their last encounter being in the Torneo Apertura 2002, where América de Cali won 3-1. The return leg is scheduled for December 15 at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali.