ATLANTA.- The stadium Mercedes Benz in atlanta will be the scene of the opening match of the 2024 Copa America and the Miami Hard Rock will host the final of the tournament that will be played outside South America for only the second time in its history.
The CONMEBOL and the CONCACAF they made the announcement jointly on Monday. The other venues and match schedules for the 16-team tournament were not revealed.
The tournament will start on June 20 at the Mercedes Benza venue with capacity for 71,000 spectators and in which the Atlanta United of the MLS has set numerous attendance records. The defending champion, with Lionel Messi at the head, could liven up the opening duel.
With a retractable roof and inaugurated in 2017, the stadium near the center of atlanta will install a natural grass on its artificial surface for the tournament.
He hard rock in Miami Gardens, inaugurated 36 years ago, already has a natural grass and can receive 65,000 spectators after a renovation that cost 500 million dollars and that included a roof over several areas. Headquarters of the Miami Dolphins of the NFL and the Miami Open tennis, the stadium will host the final on July 14.
Yeah Argentina advances to the final, Messi could play in the city of his current club in the MLShe InterMiami.
“We expect stadiums filled with the passion of the entire American continent for the opening and final of an unforgettable Copa América“said the president of CONMEBOL, Alejandro Dominguez. “They are magnificent stadiums in wonderful cities.”
Miami and Atlanta enjoy recognition:
Both stadiums have already been selected to host matches of the 2026 World Cup that will be disputed in USA, Mexico and Canada.
“Both venues are world-class and the cities have passionate sports and soccer fans known for supporting important events,” said CONCACAF President, Victor Montagliani.
The 2024 Copa America will be expanded in its next edition. The 10 national teams will compete South America and six of the CONCACAF. It will be similar to the centenary tournament that was staged in 2016 in USA, won by Chili, and it was the only previous time that it was staged outside the south of the continent.
The draw for the groups will be held on December 7 in Miami.
Neither Miami neither atlanta They were squares of the Copa América Centenario.
FOUNTAIN: AP
