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Copa América Centenario
Centennial Cup America (English)

Copa América Centenário (Portuguese)

Coupe Amérique Centennaire (French)
Copa América Centenario.svg
Tournament details
Host country United States
Dates June 3 – 26
Teams 16 (from 2 confederations)
Venue(s) 10 (in 10 host cities)
Final positions
Champions  Chile (2nd title)
Runners-up  Argentina
Third place  Colombia
Fourth place  United States
Tournament statistics
Matches played 32
Goals scored 91 (2.84 per match)
Attendance 1,483,855 (46,370 per match)
Top scorer(s) Eduardo Vargas (6 goals)
Best player Alexis Sánchez
Best goalkeeper Claudio Bravo
Fair play award  Argentina
2015
2019 →

The Copa América Centenario was a special international soccer tournament for men. It was held in the United States in 2016. This competition celebrated 100 years of CONMEBOL (the South American football group) and the Copa América tournament. It was the first time the Copa América was played outside South America.

This tournament was a special edition, not the regular 45th one. It was planned by CONMEBOL and CONCACAF (the North and Central American football group). The tournament had 16 teams, which was more than the usual 12. All ten teams from CONMEBOL played, plus six teams from CONCACAF. Even though it was an official Copa América, the winner did not get a spot in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. However, Chile, who won this tournament, had already qualified for the Confederations Cup by winning the 2015 Copa América.

Chile became the fourth country to win two CONMEBOL tournaments in a row. The other countries were Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil. Argentina, on the other hand, lost its third major final in a row. They had lost to Germany in the 2014 World Cup and to Chile in the 2015 Copa América.

Planning the Tournament

In February 2012, Alfredo Hawit of CONCACAF said the tournament would likely happen in 2016. It was meant to celebrate CONMEBOL's 100th birthday. Nicolás Leoz, the CONMEBOL President, hoped for a "big event" to celebrate this milestone.

CONMEBOL officially announced the tournament on October 24, 2012. CONCACAF confirmed it on May 1, 2014. On September 26, 2014, FIFA added the tournament to its official calendar. This meant clubs had to let their players join their national teams for the competition. The tournament took place in June 2016, at the same time as UEFA Euro 2016.

Tournament Challenges

There were some doubts about the tournament happening due to issues with sports officials. Some people involved with the media rights for the event faced problems. However, on October 23, 2015, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, and the U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed the tournament would go ahead as planned.

The Special Trophy

Copa america centenario clean
The trophy was designed exclusively for this edition

A new trophy was made just for this tournament. It was first shown on April 28, 2016, in Bogotá, Colombia. This "new" trophy was a special commemorative one. The winning country got to keep it forever. The original silver Copa América trophy would still be given to winners of the regular tournaments.

The Centenario trophy looks like the original one but is covered in matte gold. It has the Copa América Centenario logo on the front. On its sides, there are images of North and South America connected. This celebrates the tournament being held outside South America for the first time. The base of the trophy has 16 spots where the names of all 16 participating nations are engraved. It also features the logos of CONMEBOL and CONCACAF. The years "1916–2016" are there to mark 100 years of CONMEBOL and the Copa América. Phrases like "La Copa del Siglo" (The Cup of the Century) and "Uniting the Americas" are also included.

Choosing the Host Country

Luis Chiriboga, the President of the Ecuadorian Football Federation, mentioned that the United States and Mexico might host parts of the competition. Jeffrey Webb, then CONCACAF President, preferred the United States because of its large market and many stadiums.

On May 1, 2014, it was announced that the United States would host the tournament. It would run from June 3 to June 26, 2016. Some people, like Uruguay Football Association president Wilmar Valdez, criticized the choice of the U.S. He felt that the U.S. was "a country where they don't feel football."

Stadiums Used

On January 8, 2015, CONCACAF and CONMEBOL announced that 24 U.S. cities were interested in hosting games. Stadiums needed to have a capacity of at least 50,000 people. The final list of 10 venues was announced on November 19, 2015.

Pasadena, California
(Los Angeles Area)
East Rutherford, New Jersey
(New York City Area)
Houston, Texas Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Rose Bowl MetLife Stadium NRG Stadium Lincoln Financial Field
Capacity: 92,542 Capacity: 82,566 Capacity: 71,000 Capacity: 69,176
Foxborough, Massachusetts
(Boston Area)
Santa Clara, California
(San Francisco Bay Area)
Gillette Stadium Levi's Stadium
Capacity: 68,756 Capacity: 68,500
Seattle, Washington Chicago, Illinois Glendale, Arizona
(Phoenix Area)
Orlando, Florida
CenturyLink Field Soldier Field University of Phoenix Stadium Camping World Stadium
Capacity: 67,000 Capacity: 63,500 Capacity: 63,400 Capacity: 60,219

Teams That Played

All ten CONMEBOL countries played in the tournament. Six teams from CONCACAF also joined. The United States (as host) and Mexico automatically qualified. The other four CONCACAF spots went to:

  • Costa Rica (won the 2014 Copa Centroamericana)
  • Jamaica (won the 2014 Caribbean Cup)
  • Haiti and Panama (won special playoff games)
CONMEBOL (10 teams) CONCACAF (6 teams)
 Argentina
 Bolivia
 Brazil
 Chile (title holders)
 Colombia
 Ecuador
 Paraguay
 Peru
 Uruguay
 Venezuela
 United States (hosts)
 Mexico (automatic qualifier)
 Costa Rica (winners of 2014 Copa Centroamericana)
 Jamaica (winners of 2014 Caribbean Cup)
 Haiti (qualified via playoffs)
 Panama (qualified via playoffs)

The Draw for Groups

Copa América Centenario map
Map of the participant countries.

The teams were put into groups in a special draw on February 21, 2016, in New York City. The United States was placed in Group A as the host. Argentina was in Group D because it was the highest-ranked CONMEBOL team by FIFA in December 2015. Brazil (Group B) and Mexico (Group C) were also chosen as top teams. Some people thought other strong teams like Uruguay or Chile should have been top seeds too.

Teams were divided into four pots based on their FIFA rankings.

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4
 Argentina (1)
 Brazil (6)
 Mexico (22)
 United States (32) (hosts)
 Chile (3)
 Colombia (8)
 Uruguay (11)
 Ecuador (13)
 Costa Rica (37)
 Jamaica (54)
 Panama (64)
 Haiti (77)
 Paraguay (46)
 Peru (47)
 Bolivia (68)
 Venezuela (83)

Team Rosters

Each country had a team of 23 players. Three of these players had to be goalkeepers. The teams had to submit their final lists of players by May 20, 2016.

Match Officials

Heber lopes
Héber Lopes was chosen as the referee for the final.

Referees and their assistants from different countries were chosen to officiate the matches.

Opening Ceremony

The tournament's opening ceremony happened at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on June 3, 2016. It took place just before the first match. The ceremony featured musical performances by singers J Balvin and Jason Derulo, and the band Magic!.

Group Stage Matches

Copa America Centenario Map
     Group stage      Quarterfinals      Fourth place      Third place      Runner-up      Champion

All game times were in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The top two teams from each group moved on to the next round, called the quarterfinals.

How Teams Were Ranked

Teams in each group were ranked based on:

  • Most points from all group matches.
  • Goal difference (goals scored minus goals against).
  • Most goals scored.
  • If teams were still tied, their ranking was decided by:

* Points in matches between the tied teams. * Goal difference in matches between the tied teams. * Goals scored in matches between the tied teams. * Finally, a drawing of lots if still tied.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  United States (H) 3 2 0 1 5 2 +3 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  Colombia 3 2 0 1 6 4 +2 6
3  Costa Rica 3 1 1 1 3 6 −3 4
4  Paraguay 3 0 1 2 1 3 −2 1
Source: CONMEBOL & CONCACAF
(H) Host.

Copa América Centenario Group A Copa América Centenario Group A


Copa América Centenario Group A Copa América Centenario Group A


Copa América Centenario Group A Copa América Centenario Group A

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Peru 3 2 1 0 4 2 +2 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Ecuador 3 1 2 0 6 2 +4 5
3  Brazil 3 1 1 1 7 2 +5 4
4  Haiti 3 0 0 3 1 12 −11 0
Source: CONMEBOL & CONCACAF

Copa América Centenario Group B Copa América Centenario Group B


Copa América Centenario Group B Copa América Centenario Group B


Copa América Centenario Group B Copa América Centenario Group B

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Mexico 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Venezuela 3 2 1 0 3 1 +2 7
3  Uruguay 3 1 0 2 4 4 0 3
4  Jamaica 3 0 0 3 0 6 −6 0
Source: CONMEBOL & CONCACAF

Copa América Centenario Group C Copa América Centenario Group C


Copa América Centenario Group C Copa América Centenario Group C


Copa América Centenario Group C Copa América Centenario Group C

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Argentina 3 3 0 0 10 1 +9 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  Chile 3 2 0 1 7 5 +2 6
3  Panama 3 1 0 2 4 10 −6 3
4  Bolivia 3 0 0 3 2 7 −5 0
Source: CONMEBOL & CONCACAF

Copa América Centenario Group D Copa América Centenario Group D


Copa América Centenario Group D Copa América Centenario Group D


Copa América Centenario Group D Copa América Centenario Group D

Knockout Stage

In the knockout stage, if a game was tied after 90 minutes, a penalty shoot-out decided the winner. This applied to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the third-place match. For the final, if it was tied, extra time would be played first, followed by a penalty shoot-out if needed.

Bracket

Copa América Centenario knockout stage

Quarter-finals

Copa América Centenario knockout stage


Copa América Centenario knockout stage


Copa América Centenario knockout stage


Copa América Centenario knockout stage

Semi-finals

Copa América Centenario knockout stage


Copa América Centenario knockout stage

Third place play-off

Copa América Centenario knockout stage

Final

Copa América Centenario final

Tournament Statistics

Top Goal Scorers

Eduardo Vargas Footballteam of Chile - Spain vs. Chile, 10th September 2013 (cropped)
Eduardo Vargas, top scorer

Chile's Eduardo Vargas won the Golden Boot award for scoring six goals. There were 91 goals scored in 32 matches, for an average of 2.84 goals per match.

6 goals

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

  • Frank Fabra (against Costa Rica)
  • Je-Vaughn Watson (against Uruguay)
  • Álvaro Pereira (against Mexico)

Awards and Recognition

Tournament Winner

 2016 Copa América Centenario champions 

Chile
2nd title

Individual Player Awards

At the end of the tournament, these special awards were given out:

Final Match Best Player

Team of the Tournament

A group of experts chose the best 11 players from the tournament:

Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards

Claudio Bravo

Mauricio Isla
Nicolás Otamendi
Gary Medel
Jean Beausejour

Javier Mascherano
Arturo Vidal
Charles Aránguiz

Lionel Messi
Eduardo Vargas
Alexis Sánchez

Tournament Marketing

Sponsors

Many companies helped sponsor the Copa América Centenario:

Sponsors

Match Balls

The official match ball for the tournament was the Nike Ordem Ciento. It was mainly white with red designs. For the final match, a special version called the Nike Ordem Campeón was used, which had golden designs instead of red.

Theme Songs

Several songs were part of the tournament's theme:

  • "Superstar" by American rapper Pitbull featuring Becky G was the official song. Both artists performed it during the Final.
  • "Breaking All the Rules" by English rock musician Peter Frampton, who also performed during the Final.
  • "In My City" by Indian Singer Priyanka Chopra, who performed during the Final as well.

Broadcasting the Games

The tournament was shown on TV in many countries around the world.

In the Americas

Country Broadcaster Ref.
Latin America (orthographic projection).svg Latin America DirecTV Sports
 Argentina Televisión Pública Argentina (Argentina matches only), TyC Sports (all matches)
 Bolivia TV Boliviana (all matches)
 Brazil Rede Globo (Brazil matches only), SporTV (all matches)
 Canada Univision Canada (Spanish)
 Chile Canal 13
 Colombia RCN TV, Caracol TV
 Costa Rica Repretel, Teletica
 Cuba Cubavision International
 Ecuador Gama TV
 Haiti CONATEL, Tele Haiti
 Jamaica CVM TV
 Mexico Televisa, TV Azteca
 Panama Telemetro, TVMax, RPC-TV
 Paraguay Paraguay TV, Unicanal
 Peru América Televisión
 United States Fox Sports (English); Univision (Spanish)
 Uruguay DirecTV, Equital (Monte Cable, Nuevo Siglo, TCC)
 Venezuela Meridiano TV

Around the World

Country Broadcaster Ref.
Arab World beIN Sports
 Australia beIN Sports, SBS
 Azerbaijan CBC Sport
Western Balkans Arena Sport
Baltics Viasat Sport Baltic
 China SMG, LeSports, PPTV, QQLive
 Equatorial Guinea RTVGE, Asonga TV, Canal+
 Finland Viasat
 France beIN Sports
 Germany Sat.1, Kabel eins
 Greece Skai TV
 Hong Kong now TV, ViuTV
 Hungary Sport TV
 Iceland Stöð 2 Sport
 India Sony ESPN, Sony ESPN HD
 Indonesia Kompas TV
 Iran IRIB Varzesh
 Ireland Setanta Ireland
 Israel Sport 1
 Italy Sky Italia
 Japan SKY PerfecTV!
 Kenya Startimes, Canal+
 Malaysia Astro
 Myanmar Sky Net
 Netherlands Fox Sports Netherlands, NOS
 New Zealand Sky Sport
 Nigeria Startimes, Canal+
 Norway Viaplay
 Poland TVP
 Portugal TVI
 Russia Match TV
 Singapore StarHub TV, Singtel TV
 South Africa Startimes
 South Korea KBS
 Spain Movistar+
Sub-Saharan Africa Startimes, Canal+
 Sweden Viasat Sport
 Taiwan CTV, TTV, CTi TV
 Tajikistan TV Varzish
 Thailand True Visions
 Turkey A Spor, A Haber
 United Kingdom Premier Sports
 Vietnam SCTV, VTVCab

More About Soccer

  • Soccer in the United States
  • Football at the Pan American Games

See also

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