The Brazilian club Chapecoense have been awarded the Copa Sudamericana title after the tragic air crash on November 28 took the lives of 19 players.
The South American Football Confederation took the decision to posthumously hand the award to the team who were due to face Atletico Nacional in the final.
Given that Capecoense now hold the title, the team 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.
Given that the majority of the Brazilian club's players lost their lives in the air disaster, the team are likely to field a team of borrowed players from other clubs.
Atletico Nacional wrote to the South American Football Confederation with their intention that the title be handed to their opponents.
As a result, Atletico have been awarded the CONMEBOL award recognizing an extraordinary contribution to fair play.
A statement from the confederation read: '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 exhibited by the National Athletic Club of Colombia.'
The city of Chapeco is in mourning after the charter flight operated by LaMia was supposed to land in Medellin but crashed in Colombia shortly after 10:00pm local time, killing 71 of the 77 people on board.
Roughly 100,000 people gathered in the streets and Chapecoense's ground when the coffins of the players were carried into the stadium.
The small Brazilian city paid homage to their lost heroes in scenes of high emotion as fans chanted and sung during tributes.
For the devastated club, the rebuilding effort will begin and they are expected to be assisted in their strife by opposition clubs lending support through loaning out players ahead of next season.
