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U.S. Soccer president touches on USA Copa America rumors

Landon Donovan, Marcelo

The rumored 2016 Copa America, which would reportedly be played in the United States and feature CONCACAF powers as well as South American countries, has been making the rounds for almost two years. But when a fresh report emerged this week claiming the tournament was a done deal, U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati decided to enter the fray.

Apparently addressing the latest rumors, sparked by a BeIN Sports report, Gulati tweeted out a denial that carried a caveat.

The key word in Gulati’s tweet is “yet”, which seems to suggest it could very well still be a possibility. For Gulati to address the report via Twitter is made even more interesting by the fact the tweet was only the eighth tweet ever posted by the U.S. Soccer president.

The rumored tournament would feature all 10 CONMEBOL nations as well as six teams from CONCACAF, with the U.S. and Mexico among the six. The event would be held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first Copa America.

So what should we believe? At this point it sounds like the tournament is being worked on, but has yet to be finalized. If the tournament does happen, it will make for a special event, with American soccer fans having the chance to see the likes of Argentina and Brazil competing on American soil for a legitimate trophy.

What do you make of these developments? Starting to believe the 2016 Copa America in USA might actually happen? Won’t believe it until you see tickets go on sale?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. So the 10 SA nations plus

    USA, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Honduras

    well of course the last 4 will have to qualify but i’d love to have those 4 included. Canada would probably be embarassed like 10-1 against Uruguay but it’s good for the learning process for their up n coming players.

    I can’t wait for this. SO EXCITED. 2 years away but id gladly drop 100 to see us play Peru, so id def drop more to play Uruguay or Argentina

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  2. Won’t happen until the fossils running CONMEBOL step out or cave. They’re scared sh*tless of losing control because Mexico/USA have economic power beyond 9 of their 10 members, and Brazil doesn’t care enough.

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  3. Biggest question from a 16 team tournament is which of these Concacaf nations gets selected for the final spot (only one can): Canada, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala, or El Salvador? I would give the last spot to Jamaica.

    Using a combination of traditional/historical strength and this years World Cup qualifying standings:

    Pot 1: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile
    Pot 2: USA, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Ecuador
    Pot 3: Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Honduras
    Pot 4: Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama, Jamaica

    Group A: Brazil, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Panama
    Group B: Argentina, USA, Peru, Jamaica
    Group C: Colombia, Uruguay, Mexico, Bolivia
    Group D: Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Paraguay

    GO USA!!

    Reply
    • Check just a few of the internationals that would be playing in US stadiums… Playing the new Unified Copa America would definitely raise the level of US soccer… Klinsi is all in…

      Brazil: Neymar, Robinho, Hulk, Pato, Dani Alvez,
      Argentina: Messi, DeMaria, Tevez, Aguero,
      Colombia: Falcao, Ramos, Bacca, Cuadrado, Guarin, Zapata,
      Uruguay: Forlan, Suarez, Cavani, Lugano,
      Chile: Suazo, Sanchez, Vidal, Fernandez,
      Ecuador: Valencia, Montero, Mendez, Caicedo,
      Peru: Farfan, Guerrero, Pizarro, Vargas,
      Venezuela: Arango, Rincon, Rondon,
      Paraguay: Santa Cruz, Cardozo, Valdez, Barrios,
      Bolivia: ??

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  4. Imagine if this were to happen the amount of soccer on TV that summer would make be amazing.

    2016 Olympics, Super Copa 2016, EuroCup 2016….

    WOW

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  5. Go ahead and do it but claiming that your celebrating a continental tournament by hosting a different tournament on a different continent is absurd.

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    • In most Spanish-speaking countries, there is no distinction between the North American and South American continents. They adhere to a six continent model where the NA and SA are just “America”.

      It’s also why some of them get POed when “estadounidenses” refer to themselves as “americanos”.

      Reply
      • Regardless my point stands. It’s a different tournament in a different place. Btw, when I’ve discussed it with SA friends they echo the absurdity.

      • Your SA must have been born or raised in the US, my SA always complain about how absurd it is that Americans refer to themselves as Americans….lame i know…

      • Usually they seem oblivious that the country’s name is also America.

        Much like Mexico actually, whose official name is United Mexican States.

      • No, actually. But thanks for assuming and focusing on the wrong point. The absurdity has nothing to do with how people refer to themselves or others and everything to do with the historical precedence of the tournament.

      • From the view of the South American organizers, North America is not a different continent. It’s a different confederation, but the same continent. Your point does not stand unless you wish to retract “different continent” and replace it with “different place”.

        That is a pretty silly point, though, since Copa America is always held in a different place. It travels around COMNEBOL. There is no reason COMNEBOL can’t take this show on the road.

      • Like I said, I like the idea of the tournament just don’t see the relevance to Copa America which has always been held in a COMNEBOL or SA country as generally taught at McKinley Middle School. I’m all for holding the Gold Cup outside the US once in a while, but I’d be annoyed at the idea of moving it ‘on the road’.

  6. This needs to happen, would be an epic tournament. The big CONMEBOL teams would sell out stadiums very easily. Imagine Brazil vs Argentina in a packed Snoopy stadium. Epic.

    Couple of things they need to work through:
    1) Clubs whining about releasing players (club gonna whine cos club gonna whine about it)
    2) UEFA Euro getting its panties in a bunch if the tournaments overlap
    3) Shifting around WC qualifiers to accomodate the tournament (Confed Cup, can be done)

    But, since cash moves everything around me, this is going to happen.
    Dollar dollar bill y’all.

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  7. this will be a great tournament. Millions of fans. $$$$$$$$$$$$

    I can see the US making it to the semi-finals if we get a good draw and LUCK and homefield advantage

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      • All games should be played near the border with Canada and in the mid-west.. Home field advantage everywhere we go. Does Bizmarck ND have a stadium?

  8. 16 teams. Now will each group stage be in a different region like example

    1 group on West Coast – SF, LA. Seattle, Sacramento, Portland, San Diego
    1 group Mid West – Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Memphis, Columbus, Cinnicinatti
    1 group South – Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Miami, Phoenix, Tampa Bay
    1 group North – Boston, New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Trenton, Albany

    Reply
    • It would be sooooo easy to do. It’s almost effortless. Even the policing would be easy compared to a normal Copa America.

      They groups limit travel as well. Its a good plan.

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      • I’m from Schenectady, NY, about 10minutes from Albany. If there’s one thing our municipal and state governments love to do, it’s spend taxpayer money frivolously on state capital building reforms and such. We might as well build a stadium.. God knows we have the land!

    • I like the idea, but some of these groups could be a bit better. Tampa is rather far from Phoenix, Sand Diego and Seattle are pretty long flights as well. Maybe group them northwest, southwest, midwest (or southeast) and northeast. I bet it is the most profitable and most attended copa ever.

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    • Settle down, smartyshoes. They’ll do this with 6 stadiums max.
      Rose Bowl
      Jerrydome
      Snoopy Stadium
      Wash DC (RFK or FedEx)
      Soldier Field
      Miami

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  9. Needs to happen. This is the closest thing we can get that is close to a world cup, easily on par with EUROs. It would be a shame not to make it happen.

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    • Not on par with Euro. The final 16 there usually include five or six credible threats to win a World Cup. This grande Copa America would only have two or three credible World Cup threats.

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      • 5 or 6 european teams that could win the world cup? Say what?
        Are you trying to include France and England in there? ha ha

        Copa America would have 7 of the last 16 from the World Cup. No other tournament could say that.

      • I get why you dismiss England, but why dismiss France? Runners-up in Germany ’06. (And of course won at home in ’98, but I recognize the caveat in that.)

        UEFA: Ger, Spa, Ita, Net, and Fra are all threats to win WC, with Bel and Por as long shots (and Eng a perpetual disappointment).

        CONMEBOL: Bra and Arg are the only perennial threats to win. Uru, Chi, Para, and Col are really long shots—they just don’t have the roster depth to survive the rigorous tournament.

        (But just for the record: I think a Copa America would be every bit as thrilling as the Euros.)

    • exactly… it will work for Conmebal… they will make lots of money… btw, the last Copa America that took place in Argentina was a financial disappointment… the only teams with any solid support were the locals Argentina and somewhat Uruguay, Peru… in terms of attendance, all other games not involving these teams left a lot to be desired.

      … and after Argentina was eliminated it didn’t matter who played, the stands were mostly empty except the Copa Final thanks to Uruguayan fans who showed up in big numbers.

      95% of the time Copa is played in the winter (summer in the Northern hemisphere), this probably has a lot to do with the whole atmosphere of the tournament…. It is best if it is played in the summer…. Gulati needs to stop stalling…. just bring it to the US!!!

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      • Uhm, it’s in the summer. plus this is just switching from Copa America to Super Copa America in the US.

      • Umm no.

        Copa America is taking place in Chile in 2015.

        Hard to fathom Euro clubs releasing their players two summers in a row. Especially in 2016 when this tournament isn’t part of the FIFA calendar.

      • exactly on the schedule… immediately the year after the men’s World Cup is the SouthAmerica’s Copa, then a year later is EURO Championship, a year after that is Africa, then Asia/Oceania Championship… EUFA will not want to monetarily compete with Copa in the same summer….but Womens World Cup will happen in summer 2015 too…

      • That’s it. Getting on the FIFA calendar, especially for the “guest teams” is an important element. Plus it is in an Olympic year, so everyone is going to be stretched thin.

      • “Wait but I just released Messi last year for Copa 2015 and now I have to release him again in 2016, no no no!”

        Can hear it now.

      • What tired of MLS teams losing to Mexican and Central American teams?

        A new spice sill be added, lose to South American clubs as well.

        I hope in less than 10 years there are more Ws for MLS.

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