Brazilian top-flight club Chapecoense, who lost most of its players in the tragic plane crash in Colombia last week, have been awarded the Copa Sudamericana title, it was today announced.

The governing body of South American football, CONMEBOL, confirmed the news on Monday after 19 of Chapecoense's players were killed in the crash just outside Medellin, Colombia last week which claimed the lives of 71 people in total. Six people survived.

The crash occurred as the team were travelling to play the first of two matches against Colombian side Atletico Nacional, which was set to determine the champion of the Copa Sudamericana — Latin America's equivalent of the Europa League.

CONMEBOL also confirmed that Atletico Nacional will be given an award for fair play after requesting that the title go to Chapecoense.

A statement on Monday read: "CONMEBOL awards the title for the 2016 Copa Sudamericana championship to Chapecoense."

Atletico Nacional had released a statement last week in which the club confirmed their desire to see Chapecoense be awarded the Copa Sudamericana title.

"Atletico Nacional have invited Conmebol to deliver the Copa Sudamericana title to the Chapecoense Football Association as an honour for their great loss and in posthumous homage to the victims of the tragic accident that has our sport in mourning," it read.

"For us, and forever, Chapecoense shall be the Copa Sudamericana champions for 2016."

As the winner of this year's tournament, Chapecoense will automatically qualify for next season's Copa Libertadores, the continent's top tournament.

This also means that Chapecoense will face Atletico Nacional — the defending Copa Libertadores champions — in an emotion-charged two-game series next year between the continent's two club champions.

Chapecoesne are likely to field a team of borrowed players from other clubs. </s> Chapecoense, the Brazilian club involved in the tragic plane crash, have been awarded the Copa Sudamericana by South American football confederation Conmebol after most of their team died in a plane crash en route to the final.

71 contingent including 19 players and staff were killed last Monday when the plane carrying them for the first-leg final crashed last Monday.

Atletico Nacional, who asked for the Brazilian side to be awarded the trophy, have awarded Fair Play award to acknowledge their "spirit of peace, understanding and fair play".

Chapecoense will be given the $2m (£1.57m) in prize money while Atletico Nacional will receive $1m (£787,000).

Chapecoense vice-president Ivan Tozzo hailed the decision as "justice", telling a news conference on Monday: "We were sure that 'Chape' would be champions. It is a beautiful tribute." </s> CONMEBOL officially awarded Brazilian side Chapecoense with the 2016 Copa Sudamericana on Monday.

In a statement, the South American governing body said it awarded the title -- the continent's secondary international club tournament -- "as a posthumous homage to the victims of the fatal crash that leaves our sport in mourning."

Club officials had said on Saturday that the title and $2 million prize money would be bestowed upon the Brazilian side after a plane carrying the team crashed en route to the Copa final last Monday, taking the lives of 71 people on board -- including 19 players.

On Monday, the news was made official, with CONMEBOL also announcing that rival club Atletico Nacional would be given an award for fair play consisting of $1 million.

"For CONMEBOL there is no greater example of the 'spirit of peace, understanding and fair play' set forth as an objective of our institution than the solidarity, consideration and respect shown by Atletico National towards its brothers from Chapecoense," a CONMEBOL statement said.

The Colombian side, who would have been Chapecoense's opponents in the the two-legged final, campaigned for the title to be given to the Brazilian club earlier this week.

Speaking after a memorial in Chapeco on Saturday, Chapecoense interim president Ivan Tozzo said that the title -- complete with the winners' prize money -- will be awarded by the South American football confederation to the club.

"CONMEBOL have testified that they will crown Chapecoense as champions of the Copa Sudamericana," Tozzo told Globo. "We are receiving support from all federations. The CBF, CONMEBOL, FIFA, and especially the people of Chapeco.

"Right now we are beginning to rebuild the team. People want football, people love football in Chapeco. Therefore, we must continue this. Let's talk and do well, let the dust settle and rebuild the team for next year."

As the winners, Chapecoense qualify automatically for next season's Copa Libertadores, the continent's top tournament.

It also means that Chapecoense will face Atletico Nacional -- the defending Copa Libertadores champions -- in an emotion-charged two-game Supercopa Sul-Americana next year between the continent's two club champions.

Brazil's leading clubs have pledged to loan players to Chapecoense for free and asked for them to be safeguarded from relegation from the top flight for the next three seasons.

Just three players -- defender Alan Luciano Ruschel, reserve goalkeeper Jackson Ragnar Follmann and centre-back Helio Hermito Zampier Neto -- were among the six survivors of the crash. Only Neto has a hope of resuming his career, reports have said.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian Football Confedation (CBF) confirmed that the Brazil national team will will play Colombia in a friendly at the end of January to help victims of the crash.

A spokesman said the venue will be decided by Chapecoense directors and that all the ticket office revenues will go to the families of the victims.

Chapecoense's director of communications says the match could happen at the historic Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro or in Chapecoense's 22,000-seater Arena Conda.

Later on Monday, Chapecoense confirmed they will not face Atletico Mineiro on Sunday in the last round of the domestic Brazilian league, though other games will go on. Atletico agreed with that decision as the result won't impact the position of either team in the tournament.

Follow @ESPNFC on Twitter to keep up with the latest football updates. </s> ASUNCION, (Reuters) – South American soccer’s governing body CONMEBOL awarded the 2016 Copa Sudamericana championship to Brazil’s Chapecoense club yesterday after most of the team died in a plane crash in Colombia last week.

Only six people survived the crash en route to the final, which killed 71 passengers and crew, shocked football fans worldwide, and plunged Brazil into mourning.

Colombia’s Club Atletica Nacional, which would have played Chapecoense in the biggest game in the club’s history, asked for the trophy to be awarded to the Brazilian team to honor the victims, CONMEBOL said in a statement.

CONMEBOL’s council decided to honor that request with all of the “sport and economic prerogatives that entails,” the statement said. Club Atletico was also given a one-time Fair Play award. As Sudamericana champions, Chapecoense will automatically play Libertadores champions Atletico Nacional for the Recopa Sudamericana next year.

They will also get a guaranteed spot in next year’s Copa Libertadores, South America’s equivalent of the Champions League.

Family and friends donning the team’s green and white colors grieved over 50 caskets flown to Chapeco for an open-air wake in the team’s stadium on Saturday. Chapecoense had ascended in a storybook tale from the minor leagues to reach the final of a major South American tournament.

A BAe146 regional airliner operated by Bolivian charter company LAMIA had radioed that it was running out of fuel before smashing into a hillside outside Medellin, Colombia. </s> Asuncion, Paraguay (AP) — The Brazilian club Chapecoense, which lost most of its players in an air crash last week, has been awarded the Copa Sudamericana championship by the governing body of South American soccer.

In a statement Monday, CONMEBOL said it awarded the title “as a posthumous homage to the victims of the fatal crash that leaves our sport in mourning.”

Nineteen of Chapecoense’s players were killed in the crash just outside Medellin, Colombia, as the team headed to the first of two matches against Colombian club Atletico Nacional to determine the champion of the Copa Sudamericana — Latin America’s No. 2 club tournament.

As the winner, Chapecoense qualifies automatically for next season’s Copa Libertadores, the continent’s top tournament.

This also means that Chapecoense will face Atletico Nacional — the defending Copa Libertadores champion — in an emotion-charged two-game series next year between the continent’s two club champions.

CONMEBOL also awarded Atletico Nacional its Fair Play award. CONMEBOL said it was asked to award Chapecoense the title by the directors of Atletico Nacional.

Chapecoense is likely to field a team next season of borrowed players from other clubs.

Later on Monday the club confirmed it will not play against Atletico Mineiro on Sunday in the last round of the Brazilian championship.

Atletico has agreed with that decision as the result won’t impact the position of either team in the tournament.

All the other games will proceed, the Brazilian football confederation said. </s> The chartered aircraft, flying from Bolivia, crashed on its approach to the city of Medellin’s international airport.

The flight was carrying members of the Chapecoense football team, airport officials said.

Ambulances and rescuers were on their way to the crash site and it is possible there are survivors, the city’s mayor Federico Gutierrez said.

The plane crashed in a mountainous area outside the city shortly before midnight local time (5am GMT), according to reports.

"It's a tragedy of huge proportions," Mr Gutierrez told Blu Radio as he made his way to the site.

It is not clear what caused the crash of the aircraft, a British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane, but Colombia had been hit by heavy rains and thunderstorms in recent hours.

The plane was initially reported to be carrying 81 people on board, although it was not known if that figure included the crew.

The first division Chapecoense football team, from southern Brazil, were on their way to Colombia for a regional tournament final.

They were scheduled to play in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional of Medellin on Wednesday.

In a statement on its Facebook page, Chapecoense said: "May God accompany our athletes, officials, journalists and other guests traveling with our delegation."

The team said it would refrain from any further statements until it had fully evaluated the extent of the crash.

A video published on the team's Facebook page showed the team readying for the flight earlier Monday in Sao Paulo's Guarulhos international airport.

The team, from the small city of Chapeco, joined Brazil's first division in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s and made it to the Copa Sudamericana finals last week by defeating Argentina's legendary San Lorenzo squad. </s> Fans mourn the Chapecoense players who died in Monday's plane crash

Three of Brazil's leading clubs have said they will offer players to Chapecoense, after the majority of their squad died in a plane crash.

Chapecoense players and officials died when their plane crashed on its approach to Medellin, Colombia.

They were travelling to play in the Copa Sudamericana final first leg, and opponents Atletico Nacional have asked for Chapecoense to be awarded the cup.

Flamengo, Palmeiras and Sao Paulo are the clubs to have offered help.

Sao Paulo, who have won six national titles, also said Chapecoense should be exempt from relegation to Brazilian football's second tier for the next three seasons as they attempt to rebuild the club.

Six of the 77 people aboard the plane survived the crash, which was blamed on an electrical fault.

Three of the six survivors are footballers:

Defender Alan Ruschel, who has spinal injuries

Defender Helio Zemper, who has injuries to his skull and chest

Reserve goalkeeper Jakson Follman, who has unspecified injuries

A statement by Fox Sports Latin America said that six employees from its Brazil operation died in the crash.

In the aftermath of the 1958 Munich air disaster, both Liverpool and Nottingham Forest offered to loan players to Manchester United, and players from non-league Bishop Auckland featured for the Red Devils. </s> A chartered aircraft with 81 on board, including a Brazilian football team heading to Colombia for a regional tournament final, has crashed on its way to Medellin’s international airport.

Officials from the airport reported only six survivors in a statement.

The plane had declared an emergency due to power failure before losing contact with the control tower.

Colombia has been hit by heavy storms which are hampering rescue efforts. “The site of the accident is only accessible by land due to climatic conditions and low visibility,” a statement from the airport said.

“The Colombian Air Force deployed a search and rescue helicopter which had to cancel the mission due to the adverse conditions.

“According to the authorities the police are mobilising all possible help since they are reporting six survivors.” Officials said the plane was carrying 72 passengers and nine crew members.

Medellin’s airport confirmed that the aircraft, which made a stop in Bolivia, was taking the first division Chapecoense football team from southern Brazil. The team was due to play on Wednesday in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional of Medellin.

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) expressed its alarm as details of the crash emerged.

Its statement noted that different information was emerging through various sources, and said: “Chapecoense Football Club, through its vice-president Ivan Tozzo, reserves the right to wait for the official announcement from the Colombian air authority, in order to issue any official note about the accident.

“God be with our athletes, management, journalists and other guests who are with the delegation.”

Newspaper El Colombiano reported the plane went missing at around 10pm local time on Monday (3am Irish time on Tuesday). The same newspaper said one footballer was among the survivors and had been taken to hospital.

“It’s a tragedy of huge proportions,” Medellin’s mayor Federico Gutierrez told Blu Radio on his way to the site in a mountainous area outside the city where the chartered aircraft has crashed.

A video published on the team’s Facebook page showed players readying for the flight earlier on Monday in Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport.

The team, from the small city of Chapeco, joined Brazil’s first division in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s and made it to the Copa Sudamericana finals last week by defeating Argentina’s legendary San Lorenzo squad. </s> A chartered aircraft with 81 people on board, including a Brazilian first division football team heading to Colombia for a regional tournament final, has crashed on its way to Medellin’s international airport.

Aviation authorities said there are reports of at least six survivors.

Aviation authorities said there are reports of at least six survivors.

“It’s a tragedy of huge proportions,” Medellin’s Mayor Federico Gutierrez Gutierrez told Blu Radio on his way to the site in a mountainous area outside the city where aircraft crashed.

Aviation authorities said the aircraft, a British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane operated by a Bolivian charter airline named Lamia, declared an emergency at 10 p.m. Monday (0300 GMT) due to an electrical failure.

Authorities and rescuers were immediately activated but an air force helicopter had to turn back due to low visibility.

The aircraft, which made a stop in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, was transporting the first division Chapecoense soccer team from southern Brazil.

The team was scheduled to play Wednesday in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional of Medellin.

The plane was carrying 72 passengers and nine crew members, aviation authorities said in a statement. Local radio said the same aircraft transported Argentina’s national squad for a match earlier this month in Brazil.

A video published on the team’s Facebook page showed the team readying for the flight earlier Monday in Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport.

The team, from the small city of Chapeco, joined Brazil’s first division in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s and made it to the Copa Sudamericana finals last week by defeating Argentina’s legendary San Lorenzo squad.

The South American soccer federation has canceled all activities until further notice as a result of today’s crash.

The CONMEBOL federation said in a statement that its president, Alejandro Dominguez, is on his way to Medellin.

The first of the two-game Copa Sudamericana final was scheduled to be played Wednesday in Medellin between Chapecoense and Atletico Nacional.
In association football, CONMEBOL officially awards Chapecoense the 2016 Copa Sudamericana title in the wake of the plane crash that killed almost the entire team. Atlético Nacional, which would have faced Chapecoense in the final and had campaigned for the Brazilians to be awarded the title, receives a fair play award from CONMEBOL.