Copa América Centenario

Copa América Centenario
source
Tourney name	Copa América Centenario
Year	2016
Country	United States
Dates	3–26 June 2016
Num teams	16
Venues	10
Cities	10
Champion	Chile
Second	Argentina
Matches	32
Goals	91
Attendance	1,015,044
Top scorer	Alexis Sánchez (4)
Player	Eden Hazard

Copa América Centenario was a special edition international men's association football tournament held in the United States in June 2016 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the South American Football Confederation and the regular Copa América competition. The event featured expanded participation from the CONCACAF and CONMEBOL with teams and stars from across the Americas, staged in major stadiums that hosted squads and fans from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, United States, and others.

Background and conception

The Centenario was announced following discussions among CONMEBOL leaders including Eugenio Figueredo and Juan Ángel Napout and CONCACAF officials such as Victor Montagliani to celebrate the centenary of the first South American Championship held in 1916. Proposals included broader collaboration between CONMEBOL and CONCACAF and special commercial arrangements involving rights holders like Panini Group and broadcasters including ESPN Inc., Fox Sports Media Group, and Televisa to capitalize on market interest in tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and regional competitions like the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Opposition and legal questions were raised by stakeholders including national associations such as the Argentine Football Association, Brazilian Football Confederation, and independent agents representing clubs in UEFA and CONMEBOL—notably debates over player release windows and the FIFA International Match Calendar.

Host selection and venues

A joint bid process resulted in the United States being selected as sole host, leveraging infrastructure from recent events including the 2014 FIFA World Cup bid legacy and stadia that hosted matches for Major League Soccer teams like LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC. Venues included MetLife Stadium, Rose Bowl Stadium, Lambeau Field, CenturyLink Field, Soldier Field, Hard Rock Stadium, NRG Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, Gillette Stadium, and Levi's Stadium. Organizers coordinated with municipal authorities in cities such as East Rutherford, Los Angeles, Green Bay, Seattle, Chicago, Miami Gardens, Houston, Philadelphia, Foxborough, and Santa Clara to handle logistics, security forces including local police departments, and transport networks like Amtrak and regional airports.

Teams and qualification

The tournament featured 16 teams: all ten CONMEBOL members — Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela — and six CONCACAF sides gained via regional qualification and invitations: United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, and Jamaica. Qualification pathways involved competitions such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup and playoff fixtures, with national associations including United States Soccer Federation and Mexican Football Federation coordinating squads and player call-ups with clubs like FC Barcelona, Real Madrid CF, Manchester City F.C., and Juventus F.C..

Tournament draw and format

The draw, conducted under oversight from CONMEBOL and CONCACAF officials and broadcast partners including Univision Communications, placed teams into four groups of four. The format mirrored recent Copa América editions: group stage with three matches per team followed by single-elimination quarter-finals, semi-finals, a third-place playoff, and final. Seedings used historical performance metrics from competitions like the 2014 FIFA World Cup and prior 2015 Copa América, with notable managers such as Gerardo Martino, Dunga, Jorge Sampaoli, and Óscar Tabárez selecting squads from domestic leagues including Major League Soccer, Argentine Primera División, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, and Liga MX.

Match summary and results

Group stage highlights included high-profile fixtures featuring Lionel Messi with Argentina, Neymar with Brazil, James Rodríguez with Colombia, and Clint Dempsey with United States. Knockout rounds produced dramatic encounters: quarter-finals and semi-finals saw matches decided in regulation, extra time, and penalty shootouts reminiscent of historic moments like the 2014 World Cup penalty duels. The final at MetLife Stadium paired Chile against Argentina; after 90 minutes and extra time remained deadlocked, the match was decided on penalties, crowning Chile champions.

Awards and statistics

Individual accolades included Top goalscorer honors for leading scorers, Best Player recognition awarded to outstanding performers, and Best Goalkeeper distinctions for shot-stoppers who influenced results. Statistical leaders came from teams such as Chile, Argentina, and Colombia. Tournament statistics tracked appearances, goals, assists, clean sheets, and disciplinary records, with clubs and national associations updating player caps and goal totals for figures like Alexis Sánchez, Sergio Agüero, Gonzalo Higuaín, and Arturo Vidal.

Broadcasting, sponsorship, and controversies

Broadcast rights were held by broadcasters including Fox Sports Media Group, ESPN Inc., and Univision Communications, with sponsorship from corporations like Coca-Cola, Nike, Inc., Adidas, Visa Inc., and AT&T Inc.. Controversies arose over match scheduling, venue selection, ticket pricing, and player release, involving entities such as FIFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, national federations, and club representatives from Premier League and La Liga. Legal and commercial disputes touched on marketing rights, broadcast exclusivity, and the tournament's standing within the international calendar, prompting debate among former players and executives like Pelé, Diego Maradona, and commentators affiliated with ESPN Deportes and Fox Deportes.

Category:Copa América tournaments