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The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has announced that Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host the opening match of next year’s Copa América, while the final of the tournament will take place at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
The US will stage the Copa América from June 20 to July 14 next year as part of a strategic collaboration agreement between CONMEBOL and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).
The tournament will include 10 CONMEBOL teams and the six best CONCACAF teams as guests, with the two federations to co-organise the event. The US has hosted the Copa América once before, in 2016.
The full venue list for next year’s Copa América has not yet been announced but CONMEBOL confirmed yesterday (Monday) that Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Hard Rock Stadium would host the opening match and the final, respectively.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer team Atlanta United, while Hard Rock Stadium is home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, the Miami Open tennis tournament, and Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix.
Both venues will be used during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the US will co-host alongside Canada and Mexico.
Miami has emerged as a key market for football in recent months after MLS team Inter Miami secured the high-profile signing of Lionel Messi. Argentina, led by Messi, will be looking to retain its Copa América title next year after lifting the 2021 trophy in Brazil.
Alejandro Domínguez, CONMEBOL president, said: “We expect stadiums filled with the passion of the entire American continent for the opening and final of an unforgettable CONMEBOL Copa América. In Atlanta, the ball will start rolling and will not stop for a month, until the final game in Miami.
“They are magnificent stadiums in wonderful cities. We appreciate the valuable collaboration of the US authorities and our friends at CONCACAF in the organisation of this competition. We look forward to the best CONMEBOL Copa América of all time.”
The opening match of the 2016 Copa América took place at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. The final was held at MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Jets and New York Giants.
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