The draw for the 2024 Copa America group stage took place Thursday in Miami, with the United States — the tournament host — slated to face Uruguay, Panama and Bolivia in Group C. The tournament will take place from June 20 to July 14, 2024, and will unfold across 10 states.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina joins Peru, Chile, and Canada or Trinidad & Tobago (depending on which team qualifies) in Group A.
Group B is comprised of Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela and Jamaica. Group D features Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, and Costa Rica or Honduras (depending on which team qualifies).
The two qualifying playoffs featuring Canada against Trinidad & Tobago and Costa Rica against Honduras will be played on March 23 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
The 10 member nations of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) did not have to go through a qualification process for the tournament. Those from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), however, have had to earn their spots. Last week, the USMNT, Jamaica, Mexico and Panama confirmed their places in the tournament.
What is the format of the 2024 Copa America?
The teams in each four-team group will play each other once.
The top two teams in those groups will advance to the quarterfinals, where each group winner will face a runner-up. The four winners of those games will advance to the semifinals, and the winners of the two semifinals will meet in the final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on July 14.
Ties are allowed in the group stage where the score after 90 minutes (plus stoppage time) will be final. In the knockout phase, matches drawn after 90 minutes will enter a 30-minute extra-time period. If the score remains tied after 30 minutes of extra time, a penalty shootout will decide the winning team.
Three of the last seven Copa America finals have been settled on penalties.
Key group-stage storylines
The United States versus Uruguay at Arrowhead on July 1 will be the ultimate test for the USMNT. How will they fare against a Copa America favorite? Will they upset the CONMEBOL giant inside Arrowhead Stadium, one of the loudest stadiums in the world, days before July 4?
And then there’s Argentina versus Chile at MetLife Stadium on June 25, a poetic rematch between two Copa America rivals. The last time these two teams played here, Messi infamously quit the national team after falling to Chile for a second year in a row. This match could give Messi a storybook ending to close one of the least favorite chapters of his career. — Melanie Anzidei, soccer writer
Required reading
(Photo: Eva Marie Uzcategui / Getty Images)
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
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