By Paul Nicholson in Miami
May 2 – The invitation promised history and the event delivered it. North American and Caribbean confederation CONCACAF and South American confederation CONMEBOL announced that the centennial edition of the world’s oldest international football tournament, the Copa America, will be played in the US in 2016.
The centennial celebration will be hosted by CONCACAF, with six of its member associations joining the 10 from CONMEBOL. Hosted in the summer in cities across the United States, the tournament will kick off on June 3 and culminate with the Final on Sunday, June 26.
The 2016 tournament will be the first time the competitin has been held outside its home region. Indeed, it is the first time two confederations have combined to create an event on this scale. It will be a true uniting of the Americas – something that would struggle to be achieved on this scale in any other form of human endeavor. A point emphasised by both confederation presidents.
“We are all part of the American continent,” said CONMEBOL president Eugenio Figueredo. He continued that “globalization will revolutionise football…we have to respond to be more competitive… young people will be proposing this (greater integration) quickly.”
“We are proud to play a leading role in the celebration of the centennial of a tournament born to unite all America. Year after year the Cup has gained prestige, which has allowed the opening of doors to the football of an entire continent,” said Figueredo.
“Football can unite the Americas in a way that has never been done before…The Americas were discovered in 1492, but I can’t find a better way to unite this vast continent in 2016,” said CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb.
The significance of the announcement was emphasised by the almost complete turnout of the executive committees of both confederations. Only Julio Grondona from CONMEBOL and Victor Montagliani from CONCACAF were missing.
The confederation chieftans were backed up by a coterie of footballing legends celebrating the brilliant players and matches that have lit up the Copa America.
The 2016 centennial edition will feature 16 teams. CONMEBOL’s 10 Member Associations – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela – will be joined by six from CONCACAF.
Host country United States, and the confederation’s most successful nation and six-time Gold Cup champion Mexico automatically qualify. They will be joined by the winners of the 2014 Caribbean Cup (to be played in November), and the winners of the Central American Cup that also play at the end of 2014.
The final two CONCACAF places will be won through a four-team playoff. The four national teams advancing furthest in the 2015 edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup (excluding the ones already qualified) will be seeded one to four depending on their Gold Cup finish with the highest seed then facing the fourth seed, and the second seed facing the third seed in a playoff doubleheader. The winners of the two match-ups qualify.
The last edition of Copa America was played in Argentina in 2011, with Uruguay winning a record fifteenth title. The next edition of the tournament will be played in Chile in 2015.
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