BUENOS AIRES ( Associated Press) – The 2024 Copa America will be played in the United States in the middle of that year and will feature six CONCACAF teams as guests.
CONMEBOL, an entity that brings together ten South American soccer federations, on Friday announced the venues for the next edition of the continental national team competition after signing a strategic cooperation agreement with its counterparts from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Confirmed.
The agreement also included joint participation in other women’s national team competitions and a new club tournament.
According to the rotation of the ten countries that make up CONMEBOL, the headquarters of the next Copa América, the world’s oldest national team tournament, was vacant after Ecuador’s resignation from the organization. The South American country cited problems of insecurity.
At the same time, the United States, Mexico and Canada – co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup – are particularly interested in playing against teams from other confederations to remain competitive, as they will not play qualifiers.
The six CONCACAF teams invited to the next Copa America will qualify through the 2023–24 Nations League.
The date of the Copa América dispute was not specified, but CONMEBOL announced that it would take place during the northern hemisphere summer.
In 2016, the United States hosted the centennial edition of the Copa América, which Chile won after defeating Argentina on penalties in the final.
In 2024, Argentina will defend the title it gained in 2021 and will do so as the latest world champions. It is not clear whether their captain Lionel Messi will feature in the continental competition, but the star indicated after collecting the maximum trophy in Qatar that he wanted to enjoy playing for his country “as world champion”.
“CONMEBOL and CONCACAF are linked by historical and influential ties. But above all, we are united by the passion for football and sport, characteristic of all of America,” said Alejandro Dominguez, president of the South American body.
As part of this new CONMEBOL-CONCACAF alliance, a new club tournament would be organized featuring the two best teams from each confederation’s competitions. The first edition will take place in 2024.
While the four best women’s teams from South America—Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Paraguay, according to their places in the previous Copa América—will compete in the 2024 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will also be hosted by the United States. a settlement.
CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani said, “This association is meant to support the continued development of men’s and women’s soccer … and it will truly be of mutual benefit to both confederations.”
