CONMEBOL has announced that the defending champions will kick off the tournament in which CONCACAF nations will participate.
The 2024 Copa America, hosted in the United States, stands as a major objective for the Argentina national team. Following a string of strong results highlighted by the 2021 title won against Brazil at the Maracanã, Argentina arrives ready to defend its crown. Guided by head coach Lionel Scaloni, the squad intends to set the pace for the event, and the opening match is poised to mark a potentially historic moment in Scaloni’s tenure with the team.
THE 14 VENUES OF THE 2024 AMERICAN CUP IN THE UNITED STATES
WHEN AND WHERE THE OPENING MATCH WILL BE PLAYED
The field blends ten South American nations with six qualifiers from the CONCACAF region. Action begins on June 20, 2024, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, a venue chosen to host the ceremonial kick-off and to launch a summer of top-tier international football across the United States and Canada. The opening clash will kick off a broader plan to stage matches in several American cities, drawing fans from North America, including those in Canada and the United States who will follow the action with keen interest.
WHY ARGENTINA IS PLAYING IT AND WHO WILL BE THEIR RIVAL
In the run-up to the event, the governing bodies confirmed Argentina’s status as group seed in Group A, reflecting their status as the reigning champions. The schedule and seedings place Argentina in a position of early prominence, with the opening fixture pairing the team against the A4 cluster. The A4 designation includes the four lowest-ranked teams in the FIFA rankings that are not seeded, a method used to balance the group stage. Potential opponents from this subgroup include Jamaica, Bolivia, and the CONCACAF Play-In winner. The Play-In winner will face either Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, or another qualifying side, heightening the stakes for North American audiences who follow regional teams with great interest. The arrangement underscores the anticipation that fans in Canada and the United States will be treated to high-level competition from the opening rounds of the tournament.
Citation: Official schedules and seedings released by CONMEBOL and regional federations.