It Looks Like The U.S. Won't Be Hosting Copa America in 2016
By Ty Duffy
The U.S. looked set to host a 16-team Copa America Centenario tournament in 2016. Now it appears that isn’t going to happen. CONCACAF and CONMEBOL officials are meeting in Mexico to address the tournament. U.S. Soccer isn’t attending. If the U.S. isn’t hosting, the USMNT may not participate.
From the New York Times:
"U.S. Soccer officials will not attend a meeting in Mexico on Thursday to determine the fate of the troubled tournament, and multiple officials with knowledge of the organization’s position indicated that if the United States does not host the Copa América, then it is also probable that its national team will not participate. One official said it was unlikely that there would be a definitive announcement about the tournament’s status after Thursday’s meeting. He said the two most likely outcomes would be for the tournament to be staged in Mexico or for a modified tournament to be held in South America."
Per the Times, U.S. Soccer wanted assurances before serving as host, in the wake of the DOJ indictments. Some but not all of the conditions were met. Those that think the U.S. is a shoo-in to host the 2026 World Cup may want to take note.
For fans, it would have been an opportunity to see some of the game’s greatest stars live, competing. It would have been the closest thing to the U.S. hosting the World Cup. For the USMNT, it would have been a rare, vital chance to challenge themselves against world-class competition, which the Gold Cup is not.