Argentinos Juniors was knocked out of the Copa Libertadores 2026 in a tense penalty shootout against Ecuador's Barcelona, with the tie ending 1-1 on aggregate, and the Bicho losing 5-4 in penalties. As a result of their defeat, Argentinos Juniors will not proceed to the playoff stage and will miss out on the Copa Sudamericana, marking the end of their international participation for the season.

The loss means that no clubs from Argentina's top league, the Liga Profesional, will be competing in the playoff rounds of the prestigious South American tournament. This situation is significant as it reflects a declining performance of Argentine teams in international competitions, which have traditionally been strong contenders.

Barcelona's next challenge will be against Botafogo from Brazil, who recently eliminated Nacional Potosí from Bolivia with a 2-1 aggregate score. Additionally, Sporting Cristal from Peru will face Carabobo from Venezuela, indicating that other clubs from the region are stepping up in the absence of Argentine representation in the playoffs.