Defending champion Argentina opens next year’s Copa América on June 20 in Atlanta against the winner of a Canada-Trinidad and Tobago playoff, and the U.S. starts vs. Bolivia three days later at Arlington, Texas.
Argentina also faces Chile at East Rutherford, New Jersey, on June 25 in a repeat of the 2016 final at MetLife Stadium and closes Group A four days later against Peru at Miami Gardens, Florida, also site of the final on July 14.
The U.S. was matched up to play Panama at Atlanta on June 27 and finishes Group C against Uruguay at Kansas City, Missouri, on July 1, according to the draw Thursday night.
Brazil heads Group D of the 16-nation tournament and faces the Costa Rica-Honduras playoff winner at Inglewood, California, on June 24, Paraguay at Las Vegas four days later and Colombia at Santa Clara, California, on July 2.
Mexico is seeded in Group B and plays Jamaica at Houston on June 22, Venezuela at Inglewood four days later and Ecuador at Glendale, Arizona, on June 30.
Copa America groups
The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals.
Argentina and Uruguay have each won the tournament 15 times and Brazil has nine championships. Led by captain Lionel Messi, Argentina won the 2021 Copa América in Brazil for its first continental title since 1993, then last year captured its third World Cup and first since 1986.
Ecuador was in line to host the Copa América as part of the rotation by South American soccer’s governing body but declined. The event was moved to the U.S. and expanded to include six countries from North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Jamaica and Panama also qualified. The final two nations will be determined by the playoff games on March 23.
Matches also will be played at Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Kansas City, Kansas; and Orlando, Florida.
Semifinals will be in New Jersey on July 9 and North Carolina the following day. Quarterfinals are at Houston on July 4, Arlington the next day and Glendale and Las Vegas on July 6.
If Argentina wins its group, it would face the second-place team from Group B at Houston. A second-place finish would result in a meeting with the Group B winner at Arlington.
ALSO READ | Juventus not rejoining European Club Association, team says
If the U.S. tops its group, it would play the second-place team from Group D at Las Vegas. If the Americans finish second, they would play the Group D winner at Glendale.
The U.S. hosted the Copa América Centenario in 2016, when Chile beat Argentina on penalty kicks in the final following a 0-0 draw. The Americans defeated Ecuador 2-1 in a quarterfinal, then were eliminated with a 4-0 defeat to Argentina.
Seven of the Copa América stadiums are among the 11 U.S. sites to be used for the 2026 World Cup: Arlington; Atlanta; East Rutherford; Houston; Inglewood; Kansas City, Missouri; and Santa Clara.
The Copa América will use Puma balls following deals with Nike dating to 2004. A Capitán mascot also debuted at the draw.
Comments
SHARE