What are the groups for Copa America 2024

With the draw complete, Copa America 2024 is starting to feel real. The quadrennial South American championship tournament is coming to the USA for the second time. But unlike the special 2016 centennial edition, this one is a regularly scheduled competition. The groups for Copa America 2024 feature some compelling matchups. Here’s how things break down:

2024 Copa America Groups

The 16 participants are broken into four, four-team groups for the first phase of the competition. Each team will play every other team in its own group once, for a total of three games. At the end of the group stage, the top two teams from each will advance to the quarterfinals of the single-elimination knockout round

Group A

Argentina / Peru / Chile / Canada or Trinidad & Tobago

Of course, the headline act here is the reigning South American (and world) champions Argentina. Leo Messi and co. should be expected to cruise to a place in the knockout stage, regardless of how much the aging but still magisterial star contributes. Argentina is tied with Uruguay for the most Copa titles ever – 15 – while Peru and Chile combined have just four. Chile, though, won back-to-back in 2015 and 2016, so they’ll be no pushovers. The toughest road no doubt will be for the winner of the CONCACAF playoff spot. Canada has improved of late, and T&T have played spoiler in the past, but you have to imagine it’ll be rough going for the North American guests.

Group B

Mexico / Ecuador / Venezuela / Jamaica

CONCACAF has better odds in Group B, with two sides in this quartet. Mexico will be a favorite to qualify for the quarterfinals, and then it should be a dogfight for the second spot. Neither Ecuador nor Venezuela have even appeared in a Copa final before, let alone won the competition. Mexico, meanwhile, has placed second as a guest team on two occasions. The Reggae Boyz making it through alongside Mexico would be a great statement for the North American contingent at the tournament.

Group C

United States / Uruguay / Panama / Bolivia

Make no mistake – if the United States plays the way they should, and on home soil, they should get out of this group. If they don’t – serious questions need to be asked. Uruguay will be the other favored side to quality for the knockout stage, but don’t look past Panama. They were runners-up at this year’s Gold Cup and always put up a good fight in CONCACAF games. Bolivia have only made it out of the Copa group stage once in their last nine tries, and find themselves currently in 9th place (of 10) in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying after six games.

Group d

Brazil / Colombia / Paraguay / Costa Rica or Honduras

It’s gotta be Brazil and Colombia as one and two in this group, right? Well, stranger things have happened. Either Costa Rica or Honduras will surely prove to be gritty opposition, and both have robust US fanbases that always turn out for games. Colombia’s been decent in recent tournaments, reaching the knockout stage every time since 2011, and finishing third in 2016 and 2021.

Photos: Imago.