Copa America 2024 - Coming to the USA?

[robertmac43]

Ecuador has pulled out of the running and it sounds like the USA will get a test run hosting before the 2026 world cup. Canada + Mexico joining them, with room for 3 more Concacaf nations.

Thoughts on all this?

Click to read more...

 

[robertmac43]

4 groups of 4 coming out to 16 teams. For the purpose of the list i took the 3 best Concacaf teams based on the current rankings to join the 3 confirmed going. Would look something like this:

1. Brazil
2. Argentina
3. Chile
4. Colombia
5. Ecuador
6. Peru
7. Venezuela
8. Bolivia
9. Paraguay
10. Uruguay
11. Canada
12. USA
13. Mexico
14. Costa Rica (31)
15. Panama (60)
16. Jamaica (64)

 

[bluesfan94]

Glad to be part of the Copa America but wish it was in South America. I guess 2026 is a bunch of home games, too, but I would rather this team show what they can do on the road.

 

[robertmac43]

Glad to be part of the Copa America but wish it was in South America. I guess 2026 is a bunch of home games, too, but I would rather this team show what they can do on the road.

I agree, from both a player experience and a personal one lol.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Do you think they will use the same facilities as the World Cup to give them a practice run, or will they utilize other cities that did not get World Cup dates?

 

[Rob]

It would be cool if Canada could host their group.

 

[robertmac43]

It would be cool if Canada could host their group.

I doubt they spread this one out that much.

 

[varsaku]

I doubt they spread this one out that much.

Last time in 2016 they played in pretty much every corner of the US. Adding Canadian cities won't increase that much since most cities are close to the border.

 

[robertmac43]

Do you think they will use the same facilities as the World Cup to give them a practice run, or will they utilize other cities that did not get World Cup dates?

I have seen some stuff on Twitter suggesting this would be a 'test run' of kinds. My guess is that's alluding to host cities for 26 getting these games as well.

4 groups, so i would assume we see 4 host City's. Maybe they choose one from each region of the US? For example Houston, Boston, Seattle, and LA? Who knows? Lots of speculation at this point in time.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

It should be in Argentina after it was taken away... but sure give to the US again lol

 

[robertmac43]

Last time in 2016 they played in pretty much every corner of the US. Adding Canadian cities won't increase that much since most cities are close to the border.

True. I just have not seen anything to suggest games coming Canada's way.

In my other post on this thread I suggest breaking it down into each region of the US. I doubt this happens but theoretically Vancouver could be the north west host and Toronto the north east, with 2 southern city's from the US. as the other group hosts.

 

[bluesfan94]

Do you think they will use the same facilities as the World Cup to give them a practice run, or will they utilize other cities that did not get World Cup dates?

I don't really think the facilities need the practice run, given that they host other events. It's a little different than World Cups where the host countries are building new stadia.

That said, Copa America Centenario was hosted at the Rose Bowl, MetLife (NYC), NRG (Houston), Lincoln (Philly), Gillette (Boston), Levi's (SF), CLink (Seattle), Soldier (Chicago), Phoenix, and Camping World (Orlando). NYC, Houston, LA (different stadium), Philly, Seattle, SF, and Boston will all be hosting WC26, so there may be some overlap.

For the Centenario, they required a minimum capacity of 50K. So, if they wanted to use 10 different hosts to "spread the wealth", they could also do any of Chicago, Phoenix, Orlando, Charlotte, DC/Baltimore, Austin, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus (using the Horseshoe), Detroit/Ann Arbor, Indianapolis, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Milwaukee (Green Bay), Memphis, New Orleans, Tampa, Vegas, Jacksonville, Buffalo, St. Louis, or Denver, off the top of my head.

My guess is that cities without an MLS team wouldn't be considered, so rule out Cleveland, Detroit, Indy, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Memphis, New Orleans, Tampa, Vegas, Jville, Buffalo.

My guess is they wouldn't want to play in a dome, so that would rule out St. Louis and maybe some of the others, idk enough. So synthesizing everything, the 10 could be, without overlapping with WC cities, DC/Bmore, Chicago, Phoenix, Orlando, Charlotte, Austin, Cincinnati, Nashville, Denver, and Minneapolis.

You could have nice pairings: Chicago/Minny; Denver/Phoenix; Austin/Nashville; Charlotte/Orlando; DC/Cinci.

But who knows. All this really shows is that I'm procrastinating at work.

 

[robertmac43]

Building off @bluesfan94 here. Currently BMO field does not meet the 50k capacity goal and we are yet to know when the renovations will take place. BC is above 50k but is in a crappy dome that is meh for viewing soccer.

More reasons to keep this in the USA for the time being.

 

[bluesfan94]

I have seen some stuff on Twitter suggesting this would be a 'test run' of kinds. My guess is that's alluding to host cities for 26 getting these games as well.

4 groups, so i would assume we see 4 host City's. Maybe they choose one from each region of the US? For example Houston, Boston, Seattle, and LA? Who knows? Lots of speculation at this point in time.

I think they'll have more venues than that, even if they group them. It just makes things easier for transitions between games. Personally, I would do 12 venues, 2 for each group, two for quarterfinals, one for semi finals, one for final/3rd place. And I wouldn't worry about overlapping too much with WC26, although I would try to have new hosts as much as possible.

Make it make sense geographically, host the final in Chicago (or better yet, St. Louis!) and work out to in

Group A: LA/SF
Group B: Houston/Austin
Group C: DC/Cinci
Group D: Charlotte/Orlando

QFs 1 (A1/B2 & B1/A2): Denver
QFs 2 (C1/D2 & D1/D2): Nashville

SFs: Minneapolis

Finals: Chicago

Alternatively, you could just slowly move east and host the final in DC:
G1: LA/SF
G2: Phoenix/Denver
G3: Houston/Austin
G4: Minny/Chicago

QF1: Cinci
QF2: Nashville

SF: Charlotte

Finals: DC

 

[Power Man]

Oh yeah sure it totally makes sense




/s

 

[robertmac43]

In terms of the groups themselves I'm curious to see how the pots are made. USA as hosts in pot 1 as well as the top 3 teams based on FIFA rankings. Then are all the other teams divided up based on ranking? Or do they do: Pot 1: USA (hosts), Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico (based on rank): Pot 2 + 3 made up of the 8 CONMEBOL teams, Pot 4 the remaining 4 CONCACAF teams.

 

[Basement Cat]

Great news! Will definitely catch a couple of games live if they're in Philly, NJ, Boston, or DC. Hope this means that the USMNT will be part of the tournament going forward.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Also in an interview the CONCACAF president said they will try to “create” a tournament a year before the WC akin to the Arab Cup which was a test run for Qatar. Not sure how realistic that is, especially considering UEFA and CONMEBOL teams

Maybe an expanded Gold Cup with Asian/African teams as there is one slated for the summer of 2025

 

[HajdukSplit]

Here is the link to that interview, at least the part where he talks about a test tournament

 

[JianYang]

Building off @bluesfan94 here. Currently BMO field does not meet the 50k capacity goal and we are yet to know when the renovations will take place. BC is above 50k but is in a crappy dome that is meh for viewing soccer.

More reasons to keep this in the USA for the time being.

The dome opens, but it's artificial turf.

At any rate, opening that dome feels more like opening the moon roof of a car rather than getting that true outdoor experience.

And if it's in the winter, they probably won't open it at all

 

[KingLB]

It should be in Argentina after it was taken away... but sure give to the US again lol

True, but this makes everyone involved much more money…so that makes it right…

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

True, but this makes everyone involved much more money…so that makes it right…

World cup every year and we can alternate between the US and England.

 

[KingLB]

World cup every year and we can alternate between the US and England.

Finally someone talking sense!

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

World cup every year and we can alternate between the US and England.

ok arsene

 

[Rob]

will be interesting to see if Messi does stay on. Only 18 months away.