Group seeds and game dates for the historic 2016 Copa America Centenario were announced on Thursday. The once-in-a-lifetime soccer summer event, which honours 100 years of the Copa America tournament, will feature some of the world’s best teams and players competing from June 3-26, 2016, in the United States. MLS will break for the tournament from June 2-14.
As the host nation, the United States earns the Group A seed, while Argentina, as the highest FIFA-ranked nation in the Americas (per December FIFA rankings), will be seeded top of Group D.
In celebration of the rich soccer tradition in the hemisphere and as the most decorated nations in the last 100 years in international competitions from their respective confederations, Brazil and Mexico have also been awarded group seeds, and will head Groups B and C, respectively.
The remaining 12 participating nations, including Kendall Waston’s native Costa Rica and Darren Mattocks' native Jamaica, will be sorted into the four groups in early 2016 based on a public draw. Details of groups and procedures for the draw will be announced leading up to that event.
In announcing the seeded teams, organizers also revealed the dates of matches, including the cities each seeded nation will visit, as well as the dates they will play during the group phase of the tournament.
Of note, four-time FIFA Ballon d’or winner Lionel Messi and 2014 World Cup runners-up Argentina will appear in one of three matches at Seattle’s CenturyLink Field on June 14, 2016. Argentina will also play at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on June 6.
Down the road, fellow South American powerhouse Brazil will play at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California on June 4. The tournament final will take place on June 26 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Click here to see the complete schedule of dates.
Fans can visit the newly-launched tournament website to register for tickets at CA2016.com, which will go on sale to the public in February, and follow tournament news at the event’s official Twitter account, @CA2016, and facebook.com/2016CopaAmericaCentenario.
NOTE: Current MLS Season Ticket Holders will be eligible to have preferred access to purchase tickets. More information to come in the near future.
