The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and the Copa America Centenario Local Organizing Committee (LOC) announced today that Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field is one of 10 stadiums to host matches during the historic Copa America Centenario to be played from June 3-26, 2016, in the United States.
To be among the first to access tickets to this event, fans can visit www.CA2016.com to register early and guarantee access to information as it becomes available. More ticketing information will be released in the coming weeks.
Other host metropolitan areas and respective stadiums include: Boston (Gillette Stadium), Chicago (Soldier Field), Houston (NRG Stadium), Los Angeles (Rose Bowl), New York (MetLife Stadium), Orlando (Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium), Phoenix (University of Phoenix Stadium), San Francisco (Levi's Stadium) and Seattle (CenturyLink Field). The exact schedule will be announced at a later date. Most venues will host at least three games.
Lincoln Financial Field was selected from among 24 candidates that originally submitted bids earlier this year. Since 2003, the home of the Philadelphia Eagles has played host to 20 national and international soccer matches, including the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final match between Mexico and Jamaica. Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, AC Milan, Celtic, US Men's and Women's National Team and the Philadelphia Union, among others, have all showcased their clubs at Lincoln Financial Field over the years.
The 2016 Copa America Centenario is the historic centennial edition of Copa America – the South American championship – and will be staged outside of South America for the first time. The tournament will feature six teams from CONCACAF and all 10 teams from the CONMEBOL.
"The ten host cities of Copa America Centenario 2016 will provide the perfect stage to unite the American continent in a unique celebration of the football history and talent in the CONCACAF and CONMEBOL regions," said Alfredo Hawit, President of CONCACAF. "We are certain that the host country and the U.S. Soccer Federation, in their roles, will not only display the growing passion for the sport, but also contribute to expanding the legacy and magnitude of this tournament by providing a memorable experience for the whole footballing community."
"These 10 cities and venues will provide a fantastic setting for fans across the world to attend Copa America Centenario and allow them to see the amazing passion for soccer in the United States," said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. "The participating teams and fans will be treated to a first-class environment in each city and stadium, adding to the world-class talent that will be competing on the field. We are looking forward to working closely with all of the cities and venues in hosting this prestigious event and creating an extraordinary experience for fans."
From CONCACAF, host United States and Mexico are automatic qualifiers, while Costa Rica (2014 Central American Cup winner) and Jamaica (2014 CFU Caribbean Cup winner) qualified with regional championships last year.
The final two teams from CONCACAF will be determined in a double-header playoff set to be disputed January 8, 2016, in Panama City. Trinidad & Tobago will face Haiti, and Panama squares off against Cuba with the winners qualifying for the Copa America Centenario.
The South American field for the tournament features Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Uruguay has been crowned champion of the Copa America a record 15 times, while Chile won its first title at this past year's edition, which it hosted.
CONCACAF and CONMEBOL have partnered for the historic 2016 Copa America tournament, setting a new standard for inter-confederation cooperation in the Americas and worldwide. The Copa America Centenario Local Organizing Committee, formed by tournament host U.S. Soccer, is a separate entity responsible for certain logistical and organizational details of the competition.
