| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 18 – November 23, 1981 |
| Teams | 21 (from 10 associations) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |
|
| Runners-up |
|
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 77 |
| Goals scored | 221 (2.87 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |
|
The 1981 Copa Libertadores was won by Flamengo of Brazil, who beat Cobreloa of Chile in the finals.
Nacional received a bye to the second round as 1980 title holders.