USA and Canada ‘are in talks to play in the 2024 Copa America’ to bolster preparations for the 2026 World Cup… but Mexico ‘are NOT involved in discussions’ to compete in the South American tournament
The United States and Canada are reportedly in negotiations to compete in the 2024 Copa America.
USA, Canada and Mexico host the 2026 World Cup but the three teams are already all out of the current tournament in Qatar by the last-16 stage.
One suggestion for the trio to improve has been to play against better opposition more frequently – something that has become harder since UEFA introduced the Nations League to replace exhibition games in the European soccer calendar.
The United States and Canada are reportedly pushing to play in the 2024 Copa America
Canada crashed out of the World Cup at the group stage and is a co-host of the 2026 event
According to FOX, the US and Canada are in talks with Conmebol, South American soccer’s governing body, over playing in the 2024 event but as it stands, Mexico are not involved in the discussions.
Canada and Mexico went out the World Cup in Qatar at the group stage while the US lost in the last-16 against Holland.
The three teams do not have to qualify for the 2026 tournament because they are hosts, meaning they will play fewer competitive games between now and the next tournament.
There is, of course, the Gold Cup in 2023 and 2025 but the trio are usually the leading sides in the event. USA hosts the 2023 tournament but the host for the 2024 Copa America has yet to be announced.
Playing in the hostile atmospheres in South America could also be crucial experience for the growth of USA and Canada, should their participation be approved.
The USA reached the last-16 out in Qatar but were then defeated 3-1 by Holland
There is no mention of Mexico playing in the Copa America – they have also been knocked out in the group stages in Qatar
In 2021, Qatar and Japan were added to the competition but withdrew because of scheduling conflicts.
Former USA coach Bruce Arena, who in 2002 got the USA to its best ever World Cup run to the quarterfinal but failed to qualify the team for the 2018 event, called for USA to play harder teams more regularly.
Writing for MLS.Com, Arena said: ‘We need to play better teams moving forward. That will be the challenge over the next three years or so, going into North America 2026, to get our team ready for the World Cup.
‘ Look at how Concacaf teams performed in Qatar. They played 13 games at the World Cup and won just three – it’s not even close to being good enough.
‘Now, there’ll be opportunities with tournaments and teams are going to want to come to the US anyways to prepare. It will get better, but I’ll repeat how important it is.’