First Stage (first legs: July 24–26, July 31–August 2; second legs: August 7–9, 14–16, 21, 23)
Second Stage, divided into three sections:
Argentina (first legs: August 16, 22–23; second legs: August 29–30)
Brazil (first legs: July 31–August 1; second legs: August 21–23)
Rest of South America (first legs: August 28–30; second legs: September 18–20)[2]
Format
The draw was made in Luque on June 29, 2012.[3] Thirty-two teams (all from rest of South America) competed in the First Stage, where they were drawn into sixteen ties. The sixteen winners of the First Stage joined another fourteen teams (six from Argentina, eight from Brazil) to compete in the Second Stage, where they were drawn into fifteen ties.
Teams played in two-legged ties on a home-away basis. Each team earned 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The following criteria were used for breaking ties on points:[4]