Canada Epic Showdown in Copa America 2024! Messi’s Argentina Awaits: Will They Make History or Crumble?
MIAMI (CP-AP) — If Canada advances past Trinidad and Tobago in a March playoff, it will join World Cup champion Argentina, Peru, and Chile in Group A at next summer’s Copa America.
The Canadian men, currently ranked 48th in the world, entered the playoff after losing to No. 55 Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal on the away goals rule, with the two-legged series ending tied at 4-4.
Canada
In the single-game playoff on March 23 in Frisco, Tex., Canada faces No. 96 Trinidad and Tobago, with the winner securing a spot in Group A alongside No. 1 Argentina, No. 35 Peru, and No. 40 Chile at the 2024 Copa America. The tournament includes eight CONMEBOL teams and six guest sides from CONCACAF.
Should Canada qualify, it will kick off the tournament against Argentina on June 20 in Atlanta, followed by matches against Peru on June 25 in Kansas City and Chile on June 29 in Orlando. The top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, with Canada’s Group A likely crossing over to face the top two teams from Group B, comprising Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Jamaica.
The Canadian men have faced Argentina once, losing 5-0 in May 2010 in Buenos Aires. Against Peru, Canada has a record of one loss (2-0 in September 2010 at Toronto’s BMO Field) and one draw (0-0 in 1988 in Lima). The record against Chile stands at 1-2-1, with the most recent meeting resulting in a 2-0 loss in October 1995 in Concepcion.
Argentina, led by captain Lionel Messi, will also face Chile at East Rutherford, New Jersey, on June 25, and close Group A against Peru on July 14 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The 12th-ranked U.S. begins its campaign against the lowest-ranked South American nation, No. 85 Bolivia, followed by matches against No. 41 Panama at Atlanta on June 27 and 11th-ranked Uruguay at Kansas City on July 1.
Brazil heads Group D and will play the Costa Rica-Honduras playoff winner at Inglewood, California, on June 24, Paraguay at Las Vegas four days later, and Colombia at Santa Clara, California, on July 2.
The tournament, expanded to include six North and Central American and Caribbean countries, was moved to the U.S. after Ecuador declined to host. Mexico is seeded in Group B and faces Jamaica at Houston on June 22, Venezuela at Inglewood on June 26, and Ecuador at Glendale, Arizona, on June 30.
Matches will also take place at Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Kansas City, Kansas; and Orlando, Florida. Semifinals are scheduled for New Jersey on July 9 and North Carolina on July 10, with quarterfinals at Houston on July 4, Arlington on July 5, and Glendale and Las Vegas on July 6.
Seven of the Copa América stadiums are among the 11 U.S. sites for the 2026 World Cup: Arlington; Atlanta; East Rutherford; Houston; Inglewood; Kansas City, Missouri; and Santa Clara. The U.S. previously hosted the Copa América Centenario in 2016.
