CONCACAF teams to join centennial Copa America

| 01/05/2014

(CNS): Six CONCACAF teams including the USA and Mexico will be taking part in the Centennial Edition of the famous Copa America will be played in the United States in 2016. One of the oldest football tournaments in the world hosted by the he South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) will unite both of the America’s footballing bodies to create a one off historic football tournament to celebrate 100 years of the South American contest. The special football event was announced in Miami Thursday morning by Eugenio Figueredo, the CONMEBOL president and CONCACAF’S Jeff Webb.

The Centennial Cup America will mark the first time the championship has been played outside of that region will be the most significant football tournament in the US since the 1994 FIFA World Cup. 

“I congratulate CONMEBOL for inspiring players and fans throughout a century of fantastic football, and thank them for extending the legacy of this hugely successful event to CONCACAF territory,” said Webb at the press briefing which was aired live via the CONCACAF Website.

Figueredo said the south American federation was proud to be involved in the celebration which would 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. Now, CONCACAF and the United States will play host to the world’s oldest national team competition,” he added.

The Centennial Cup America will be held in cities across the United States in the summer of 2016, kicking off on June 3 and culminating with the Final on Sunday, June 26.

In a sixteen team field, CONMEBOL’s ten Member Associations – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela – will be joined by six competitors from CONCACAF, including hosts  the United States, and six-time Gold Cup champion Mexico.

Two more of the places for CONCACAF teams will go to the 2014 champion of the Caribbean Football Union in November’s Caribbean Cup and the champion of the UNCAF, winner of the Central American Cup scheduled to be staged in the fall of 2014.

The final two teams to earn a ticket to the special tournament will be determined by a four-team playoff. The four national teams advancing furthest in the 2015 edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup that are not the ones already qualified to the Centennial Cup America via the gold cup contests will dispute playoff matches to determine the final two qualifiers for the Centennial America Cup.

The teams advancing to the playoff round will be seeded one through four according to their performance in the 2015 Gold Cup. The highest seed will then face the fourth seed, and the second seed will face the third seed in a playoff doubleheader, with the winners of each of those two matches advancing to the Centennial Cup America.

The last Copa America was celebrated in Argentina in 2011, with Uruguay claiming a record fifteenth title and the 2015 COPA will be in Chile.
 

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  1. Anonymous says:

    It is a shame because the Copa America is a great tournament but this will only weaken it and make it less interesting.

    • Jah Dread says:

      It is to celebrate the centennial anniversary , that's what it says. The article did not say it was replacing it. 

      • Anonymous says:

        Still going to be worse.  Bet it is not temporary and is with a view to getting a worse tournament but more TV money.  Like the terrible 32 team World Cup with dull group matches galore.