MADRID, 27 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The 2024 edition of the soccer Copa América will be held in the United States and will feature 16 teams, the ten that belong to CONMEBOL and six from CONCAFAF, as a result of an agreement signed this Friday by both confederations “to strengthen and develop the football in both regions”.
Thus, the next edition of the South American national team tournament will be co-organized by both confederations in the summer of 2024 and the CONCACAF national teams will qualify through their 2023/2024 Nations League. It must be remembered that in 2016, on the occasion of the centennial edition, it was held on US soil with the participation of Mexico, the United States, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama and Haiti.
For CONMEBOL, this agreement will serve to support “its men’s national teams in their preparation for the next World Cup through an expanded Copa América with six elite CONCACAF teams organized in the region that will host the 2026 World Cup,” while CONCACAF “will allow it to provide more high-quality competitiveness for its men’s national teams over the next two years, including the conclusion of the 22/23 Nations League, the 2023 Gold Cup and the 23/24 Nations League.” .
In addition, this strategic agreement also includes women’s soccer, since CONCACAF has invited the four best CONMEBOL national teams to participate in the 2024 Gold Cup, the first edition of which will be played in the United States. The qualifiers are Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Paraguay, the first four, in that order, of last year’s Copa América.
On the other hand, CONMEBOL and CONCACAF will also organize a centralized ‘Final a Cuatro’ style club competition in which the best clubs from the respective confederations will participate. The four teams, two from each football region, will qualify through the existing club competitions and the two confederations are working so that the first edition of this tournament will be played in 2024.
“CONMEBOL and CONCACAF are linked by historical and emotional ties, but above all we are united by a passion for football and sport. We are determined to renew and expand our initiatives and joint projects. We want this passion to translate into more and better competitions and that soccer and its values grow and strengthen throughout the hemisphere. Without a doubt, both confederations believe big and we will work with this orientation,” warned Alejandro Domínguez, president of CONMEBOL.
Victor Montagliani, his CONCACAF counterpart, believes that this alliance “is to support the continued growth of men’s and women’s soccer” in the two confederations. “It will truly be mutually beneficial for both of us. Working hand in hand with CONMEBOL, we will offer elite competitions that provide more opportunities for our federations and that we know fans want to see. We will work together to ensure that football in both regions continues to thrive.” stressed.