| Tourney Name: | Copa de Campeones de América |
| Year: | 1961 |
| Dates: | April 2 - June 11 |
| Num Teams: | 9 |
| Confederations: | 9 |
| Champion Other: | Peñarol |
| Count: | 2 |
| Matches: | 16 |
| Goals: | 52 |
| Top Scorer: |  Osvaldo Panzutto (4 goals) |
| Prevseason: | 1960 |
| Nextseason: | 1962 |
The 1961 Copa de Campeones de América was the second season of the competition, South America's prized football tournament. Nine teams entered, two more than the previous season, with Venezuela not sending a representative. In order to further enhance the competition, CONMEBOL maintained the criteria of having regional clashes in order to take advantage of the cross-border rivalries
Although Peñarol also won their national league, this became the first and, so far, only time the defending champions did not qualify automatically to the next edition. Nevertheless, the Manyas successfully defended their title by defeating Palmeiras in the final.
| width=100 | Country | width=200 | Team | Qualification method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina 1 berth | Independiente | 1960 Primera División champion | ||
1 berth | Jorge Wilstermann | 1960 Copa Simón Bolívar champion | ||
 Brazil1 berth | Palmeiras | 1960 Taça Brasil champion | ||
1 berth | Colo-Colo | 1960 Primera División champion | ||
1 berth | Santa Fe | 1960 Campeonato Profesional champion | ||
1 berth | Barcelona | 1960 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol champion | ||
 Paraguay1 berth | Olimpia | 1960 Primera División champion | ||
1 berth | Universitario | 1960 Primera División champion | ||
1 berth | Peñarol | 1960 Primera División champion |
Each match-up was a two-team group stage. Because of the increase in participants, a preliminary group was implemented in the competition, with the rest following the previous season's format. Wins were awarded two points, 1 point for a draw, and no points for a loss. The team with the most points after a home and away game advanced to the next stage.
If the teams still remained tied, goal difference became a factor. A one-game playoff would be implemented in case the teams were still tied. A draw of lots was to become the last solution to breaking a tie. Controversially, Independiente Santa Fe and Jorge Wilstermann tied on points which would have required a playoff; CONMEBOL, however, scrapped the idea and decided that the last semifinal slot was to be given by a draw of lots which the Colombians won.
| width=175 | Team | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Santa Fe | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 3 | |||||||||
 Barcelona | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 1 |
| width=165 | Team | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olimpia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 2 | |||||||||
| Colo-Colo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 2 |
| width=165 | Team | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peñarol | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 2 | |||||||||
 Universitario | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 2 |
| width=165 | Team | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmeiras | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 4 | |||||||||
| Independiente | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 0 |
| width=165 | Team | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
 Jorge Wilstermann | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
Four teams were drawn into two groups of two teams each. In each group, teams played against each other home and away. The top team in each group advanced to the Finals.
| width=175 | Team | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmeiras | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 3 | |||||||||
| Santa Fe | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 1 |
| width=175 | Team | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peñarol | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 4 | |||||||||
| Olimpia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 0 |
See main article: 1961 Copa Libertadores Finals.
| width=175 | Team | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peñarol | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 | |||||||||
| Palmeiras | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 |
| Pos | Player | Team | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Osvaldo Panzutto | Santa Fe | 4 | |
| align=center rowspan=5 | 2 | Alberto Perazzo | Santa Fe | 3 |
| Benicio Ferreira | Olimpia | 3 | ||
| Juan Joya | Peñarol | 3 | ||
| Jose Francisco Sasía | Peñarol | 3 | ||
| Alberto Spencer | Peñarol | 3 |