Lionel Messi and Argentina will get the prospect to avenge their defeats to Chile within the 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals after being grouped with their previous rivals within the draw for subsequent yr’s event on Thursday. Reigning Copa America champions Argentina will defend their title in the US subsequent summer time in an expanded 16-team event which options 10 South American groups and 6 qualifiers from the CONCACAF area. Argentina, winners of final yr’s World Cup, will kick off the event on June 20 in Atlanta towards both Canada or Trinidad & Tobago, who meet in a playoff subsequent yr to find out one in every of two remaining CONCACAF slots.
The Argentines will then face Chile in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on June 25 in a repeat of the 2016 Copa America Centenario ultimate held on the identical venue.
Argentina, overwhelmed by Chile in Santiago on penalties a yr earlier in 2015, additionally misplaced the 2016 ultimate on spot-kicks, with Messi blazing his penalty over the bar.
The Argentine captain later introduced a shortlived retirement from worldwide soccer after the defeat, earlier than reversing the transfer and persevering with his profession.
The world champions will wrap up their Group A marketing campaign in acquainted territory for Inter Miami’ Messi, going through Peru in Miami on June 29 of their ultimate first-round sport.
Elsewhere, Mexico have been drawn in a Group B alongside Ecuador, Venezuela and Jamaica, whereas the US face Uruguay, Panama and Bolivia in Group C.
5-time world champions Brazil, overwhelmed within the 2021 ultimate on house soil by Argentina on the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, have a doubtlessly tough group containing Colombia, Paraguay and both Costa Rica or Honduras.
Subsequent yr’s Copa America is being seen as an efficient check run for the 2026 World Cup going down in the US, Canada and Mexico.
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez stated at Thursday’s draw that the event can be a “Copa America of the World.”
“The world champion crew (Argentina), the one five-time world champion crew (Brazil), the primary world champion crew (Uruguay) will participate, together with the most effective gamers on this planet, who’re Latin People,” Dominguez stated.
Brazil open their marketing campaign on the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, the futuristic house of the Los Angeles Rams NFL crew, towards both Costa Rica or Honduras on June 24.
They face Paraguay in Las Vegas on June 28 earlier than concluding their group play towards Colombia at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, house of the San Francisco 49ers.
A complete of 14 stadiums will probably be used for the event, most of them giant capability venues that belong to NFL groups.
If Argentina win Group A, they are going to face the runner-up of from Group B within the quarter-finals on July four at Houston’s NRG Stadium — the place they defeated the US within the semi-final in 2016.
The Arlington, Texas house of the Dallas Cowboys will host one other quarter-final on July 5, with Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium and the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, rounding out the final eight venues.
The semi-finals will happen at East Rutherford on July 9, and in Charlotte on July 10, with the ultimate going down at Miami on July 14.
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