Group seeds and dates announced for 2016 Copa America Centenario

This Thursday top seeds and dates were determined for one of the oldest international competition in the world. For first time in its history Copa America will be played outside South American continent. Next summer 10 United States cities of Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle will have the honor to host, as popularly is known, 2016 Copa America Centenario.

All 10 teams from South America plus 6 CONCACAF representatives will include in this historic competition. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela from CONMEBOL confederation, together with 4 already qualified teams from CONCACAF region: Mexico (winner of 2015 Gold Cup), USA (host and 2013 Gold Cup champion), Costa Rica (Central American reigning champion) and Jamaica (winner of the Caribbean Cup) will mark this tournament.

However 2016 Copa America fever starts earlier than expected. From Friday 8 of January in Panama City, Panama we will learn remaining two teams which will conclude the final list of 16 for this 100 year anniversary event. In a single play-off game Panama will play Cuba, while Trinidad and Tobago will face Haiti. These 4 teams earned their place thanks to their performance in the 2015 Gold Cup, where Cuba, Haiti, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago all advanced to the quarterfinals. 

For 2016 edition of Copa America Centenario there will be 4 groups with 4 teams each. As hosts, USA will be top seed in group A, while Argentina will do the same in group D thanks to the highest position in December FIFA Coca-Cola ranking list. Brazil and Mexico have also been designated as top seeds in group B and C respectively for being most successful teams for the last 100 years in their confederations. Seeds and dates for the groups are as follows:

- group A: USA will open its first game of the tournament in Santa Clara, California, followed by Chicago 7 June and 11 June in Philadelphia.

- group B: Brazil will play its games in Pasadena on 4 of June, Orlando - 8 June, with last group game in Foxborough on 12 of June.

- group C: Mexico will open its account 5 June in Phoenix, 4 days later they will play in Pasadena and will close in Houston on 13 June.

- group D: Argentina on 6 June travels to Santa Clara, California, second game will be 10 June in Chicago, while last group game will face in Seattle on 14 June.

One of the biggest and most prestigious tournament in the world, the 2016 Copa America Centenario consist of 32 games and will entertain us from 3-26 June.