Starting today, the United States will stage one of international soccer’s most famous tournaments, Copa America. To celebrate its 100th anniversary and unite the Americas, the crown jewel of South American futbol has ventured beyond continental borders for the first time.
A men’s competition of this stature has not come ashore since the 1994 World Cup.
Here’s what you need to know:
What’s the running time?
It begins Friday with the United States facing Colombia at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and culminates June 26 with the championship game at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Can I watch every match?
Yes. Fox will show four matches on the national network; 21 on FS1; four on FS2; and three on FX. Every game is available on Fox mobile apps. Univision will carry matches on the main channel, as well as UniMas, Univision Deportes and the latter’s website.
How many teams are involved?
Sixteen: 10 countries that make up South American soccer and six guests from CONCACAF, the region encompassing North and Central America and the Caribbean. The United States and Mexico were automatic selections. Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica and Haiti earned berths with their finishes in the CONCACAF Gold Cup last summer.
Is this a big deal?
Oh, yeah. Copa America predates the World Cup by 14 years. Before 1975, it was known as the South American Football Championship. The other prominent continental tournament, the European Championship, did not launch until 1960.
Who has the most titles?
Uruguay leads the way with 15. Argentina has 14 but none since 1993. Brazil has eight.
Where are the games?
Aside from the San Francisco and New York areas, organizers selected Soldier Field; Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts; Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia; Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida; NRG Stadium in Houston; University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona; Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California; and CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
Where are the other U.S. group matches?
After Santa Clara, the Americans will appear in Chicago (vs. Costa Rica) and Philadelphia (vs. Paraguay). With a top-two finish, the Americans would move on to a quarterfinal in Seattle or East Rutherford, New Jersey, Chicago and Houston will host the semifinals.
Are the superstars coming?
Most are coming, although injuries have threatened to sideline the two biggest names, Argentina’s Lionel Messi (back) and Uruguay’s Luis Suarez (hamstring). Their FC Barcelona teammate, Neymar, will skip Copa America and play for Brazil in the Olympics in August instead. Champions League winner Real Madrid is represented by James Rodriguez (Colombia), Keylor Navas (Costa Rica) and Casemiro (Brazil). Mexican superstar Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez will play.
Is Copa going to overshadow the MLS season?
No and yes. Wisely, MLS is going dark during the first two weeks of the tournament. Aside from distractions, about 30 MLS players are on Copa squads. League matches will resume during the Copa knockout stages, when games are spread out on the calendar.
What are the U.S. team’s chances of winning it?
Whoa, first things first: Jurgen Klinsmann needs to guide his team out of Group A. Failure to do so would be, well, a failure. Anything beyond that would gain a stamp of approval. It’s difficult to predict how the Americans will fare: They could win the group … or they could finish last. Second or third is more realistic. Klinsmann is aiming for the semifinals. To get there, his squad would probably need to defeat Brazil or Ecuador in the quarters.
