Copa America

South America's men's national team championship and the oldest continental football tournament still played.

The Copa América is the leading competition for men's national teams in South America, run by CONMEBOL and staged every four years. Launched in 1916, it is the oldest continental football tournament still in existence, and until 1975 it went by the name South American Football Championship. It crowns the continent's champion, although Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana take no part. Since the 1990s guest nations from North America and Asia have also been invited. Eight of the ten CONMEBOL members have won it, leaving Ecuador and Venezuela still waiting, while Argentina lead the honours list with 16 titles.

Quick Facts

Organiser: CONMEBOL
Founded: 1916
Region: South America
Number of teams: 16 (2024)
Qualifier for: Finalissima
Current champions: ARG (16th title)
Most successful team: ARG Argentina (16 titles)

Facts from the source article.

Background

The first edition was organised by Argentina between 2 and 17 July 1916 to mark the centenary of its independence, with Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil taking part. Uruguay won it after a goalless deciding match with the hosts in Avellaneda, and CONMEBOL itself was founded during that event. Uruguay won again the following year on home soil, Brazil took its first crown at home in 1919, and Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador joined over the following years. Rivalry between the Uruguayan and Argentine federations after the 1930 World Cup disrupted the event, and for decades it was held irregularly, with some editions only later recognised as official. After an eight-year gap it returned in 1975 under the Copa América name, and from 1987 hosting rotated among the ten member nations.

Did You Know?

A flu outbreak in Rio de Janeiro led to the cancellation of the 1918 tournament.
Two separate tournaments were held in 1959, one in Argentina and one in Ecuador.
In 1975, 1979 and 1983 the event was spread across several South American countries.
Venezuela beat Bolivia in its debut match at the 1967 tournament.