ATLANTA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The final of the 2024 Copa America, which will feature an expanded format, will be held at the Hard Rock stadium in Miami, officials said on Monday.
In addition to the usual 10 teams from South America, the next edition of the world's oldest international football tournament will also include six teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean.
The competition will begin at the 71,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta on June 20 and culminate at the 65,000-seat Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens - home of the Miami Dolphins NFL team - on July 14.
"We expect stadiums filled with the passion of the entire American continent for the inauguration and the final," Alejandro Dominguez, president of the South American governing body CONMEBOL, said in a statement.
The tournament schedule and other host venues were not disclosed.
The Hard Rock and Mercedes-Benz stadiums will also stage matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States will co-host with Canada and Mexico.
The 2024 Copa America will mark only the second time that the event has been held outside of South America. It was also the home of the centenary edition in 2016, which Chile won by beating Argentina on penalties in the final.
"The cities have passionate sports and football fans renowned for getting behind major events," Victor Montagliani, president of the Confederation of North and Central American and Caribbean Association Football, said in a statement.
The Copa America draw will be held in Miami on December 7. ■
