Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín (left) and Estadio Couto Pereira in Curitiba were scheduled to host the series. Couto Pereira venue was chosen due to Chapecoense's stadium, Arena Condá in Chapecó, did not have a capacity for 40,000 spectators, as required by CONMEBOL.[6]
The final would be played on a home-and-away two-legged basis, with the higher-seeded team hosting the second leg. If tied on aggregate, the away goals rule would not be used, and 30 minutes of extra time would be played. If still tied after extra time, the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner.[1]
On 28 November 2016, LaMia Flight 2933, carrying the Chapecoense squad to the first leg, crashed on the way to the José María Córdova International Airport.[7][8] There were 71 fatalities, including 19 of the 22 Chapecoense players on the plane.[9] CONMEBOL immediately suspended all activities, including the scheduled final matches, in the early morning of 29 November.[3]
In light of these events, Atlético Nacional requested that CONMEBOL award the title to Chapecoense.[10] As requested, CONMEBOL awarded Chapecoense the title of the 2016 Copa Sudamericana, their first continental title, on 5 December,[11] while Atlético Nacional received the "CONMEBOL Centenario Fair Play" award for their gesture.[4][12]
Atlético Nacional invited fans to the Estadio Atanasio Girardot dressed in white with candles at the scheduled time of the first leg, to pay tribute in memory to the victims of the crash.[13][14] A vigil was held on the same night at Chapecoense's stadium, the Arena Condá.[15][16]
