The Copa America will return to the United States in 2024

It is not uncommon for the Copa América to include “guest teams” from other regions. But for 2024, Concacaf teams will qualify through the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League, rather than by invitation. A guest team has never won the Copa América, although Mexico made the final in 1993 and 2001. The United States have appeared in the tournament four times, making two appearances in the semi-finals.

The federations have said the expanded Copa América will serve, in part, as a vital window of high-level preparation in the Western Hemisphere ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The tournament will be held from mid-June to mid-July 2024, which will put it in conflict with this summer’s European Championship, a landmark event in the football calendar which is held every four years. but keeping the two tournaments well away from the Paris Olympics which will open at the end of July 2024.

Argentina won the last Copa América in 2021, a highlight of Lionel Messi’s career, and their first major national team title. He and Argentina followed that up with a World Cup victory in 2022. In all, Argentina and Uruguay have won 15 Copa Américas each and Brazil nine.

The federations have also announced that the 2024 Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup will feature the top four South American teams alongside eight Concacaf teams, a rare (and welcome) tournament for the region’s top teams outside of the Cup. women’s world or the Olympic Games.

A new men’s club competition for the region is also planned, to include two club teams from each confederation. The federations have said they also hope to launch this tournament in 2024. The tournament comes as the Club World Cup, for club teams around the world, is in flux, with FIFA planning to expand it but to hold it less frequently.

The club tournament is another sign of the deepening of relations between regional bodies and of Conmebol’s desire to seek new territories for its teams. He already has a relationship with UEFA, European football’s governing body, which has seen the revival of an intercontinental championship pitting the Copa América winner against the European champion. Argentina beat Italy, 3-0, in last year’s match, the first time since 1993.