Copa América
The oldest extant continental football competition.
The CONMEBOL Copa América (known until 1975 as the South American Football Championship) is the top-flight football tournament for men's national teams in South America. Held every four years, it is the oldest extant continental football competition. The Copa América determines the South American men's national team champion, minus Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana. Since the 1990s, teams from North America and Asia have also been invited to compete.
- Organizer
- CONMEBOL
- Region
- South America
- Core teams
- 10 CONMEBOL member nations
- Expanded field (recent editions)
- 16 teams (CONMEBOL + invited nations)
- Format
- Group stage followed by knockout rounds (quarter-finals, semi-finals, final)
- In-game modes
- Career Mode (Manager & Player)
- Licensing
- Officially licensed by CONMEBOL for use in FIFA / EA Sports FC titles
Lore & Background
Eight of the ten CONMEBOL national teams have won the tournament at least once in its 48 stagings since the event's inauguration in 1916, with Ecuador and Venezuela the only teams yet to win. Argentina have the most championships in the tournament's history, with 16 cups. The country that hosted the tournament the most times (nine editions) is Argentina, including the inaugural edition in 1916. The United States is the only non-CONMEBOL country that hosted the event, having done so in both 2016 and 2024. On three occasions (in 1975, 1979, and 1983), the tournament was held in multiple South American countries.
In Their Own Story
The stadium lights cut through a humid night over a packed arena in São Paulo. The PA system crackles to life, and the Argentine national anthem swells over a sea of sky-blue scarves. On the touchline, the manager adjusts his headset, eyes locked on the pitch where the warm-up is ending. In the FIFA interface, the tournament bracket glows on the side panel—four groups, two matches each, then the knife-edge of knockouts. The commentary team, their voices layered in the broadcast mix, set the scene: "A Copa América final is not just a match; it is a continent holding its breath." The ball is placed at the centre spot. The crowd noise swells past the audio mix. The whistle blows, and the tournament begins.
Reader's Guide
Since 1993, the tournament has generally featured 12 teams — all 10 CONMEBOL teams and two additional teams from other confederations. Mexico participated in every tournament between 1993 and 2016, with one additional team drawn from CONCACAF, except for 1999, when AFC team Japan filled out the 12-team roster, and 2019, which featured Japan and Qatar. The 2016 and 2024 tournaments both featured 16 teams, with six teams from CONCACAF in addition to the 10 from CONMEBOL.
Did You Know?
- The first edition was held in 1916 and won by Uruguay.
- Brazil achieved its first championship in 1919.
- Bolivia won for the first time when it hosted in 1963.
- Venezuela debuted in the 1967 tournament.
- The tournament officially acquired the name Copa América in 1975.
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