ALABAMA - With just a few more months left until the 2024 Copa América officially kicks off, an important step of the preparations took place today as CONMEBOL finalized the groups for next year's competition.
The tournament will be played in 14 different stadiums across 10 U.S. cities. MetLife Stadium (NY/NJ), NRG Stadium (Houston), Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara) and State Farm Stadium (Glendale) are the only cities to repeat as hosts from those selected for the 2016 Copa América Centenario edition.
The city of Atlanta will serve as the host of the opening match between Argentina and a team coming in from CONCACAF. The East coast will again host the final of the tournament, but this time it will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 14.
With a couple spots still to be decided, this is the final groups stage:
The United States will have the privilege to host the oldest soccer competition at the international level for only the second time, in which will also be the second 16-team edition of the tournament. Fourteen teams are already qualified, with the remaining two to be decided in a single elimination play-in to be played in March 2024.
The 16 teams were divided in four groups, with Argentina (2021 Copa América champions), Mexico (2023 Gold Cup champions), Brazil (highest ranked CONMEBOL team in the Oct. 2023) and the United States (highest ranked CONCACAF team in the Oct. 2023) as group leaders.
Some of the most nerve-wreaking matches in the first round will surely be: Argentina-Chile, Mexico-Ecuador, U.S.-Uruguay, and Brazil-Colombia.
The USMNT will try to improve on their last Copa América participation, finishing 4th place during the 2016 Centenario edition. In the history of the Copa América, host countries won the title in 22 occasions with Brazil the last one to do so in 2019.
Next year, a constellation of soccer stars will compete for another Copa América title, yet none are expected to shine as bright as MLS' new superstar, Lionel Messi. If he can avoid any injuries, he is set to play in his 7th tournament.
He holds -or is close to breaking- most of the records in the competition's history. If he captains Argentina during their debut match in Atlanta on June 20, he would become the player with the most appearances in the history of the competition with 35.
Inter Miami's No.10 is also only 4 goals shy of tying the record for most goals (currently 13) and already holds the one for most assists (17). Messi and Argentina have reached the final in 4 of Messi's previous 6 participations in Copa América (won in 2021).
Out of Messi's 13 Copa América goals, 5 of them came during the 2016 tournament, including this free kick in the semifinals against the United States to break Argentina's all-time scoring record.
Six of the 16 teams competing in next year's Copa América will be CONCACAF teams. Guest nations have yet to break the South American dominance in terms of titles won. The best performance by a CONCACAF team since teams were initially invited (1993) remains Mexico, as El Tri finished second during the 2001 edition.
With surprising wins against Brazil in the group stages and against Uruguay in the semifinals, Mexico fell short and lost the final 1-0 against hosts Colombia.
CONCACAF Teams Qualified - 2024 Copa América
Mexico – 11th app.
United States – 5th app.
Jamaica – 3rd app.
Panama – 2nd app.
Winner of Costa Rica vs Honduras (to be played March 23, 2024)
Winner of Canada vs Panama (to be played March 23, 2024)
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