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>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>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>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."
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.