When it comes to international soccer competitions, you might reasonably think that the USA competes in the tournament that is known as Copa America. After all, the name implies that it’s a tournament for American nations.
But as we explore in this article, Copa America is actually a South American tournament for CONEMBOL nations. But what does this mean? And has the USA ever participated in Copa America? Let’s find out now.
So, does the USA compete in Copa America?
No, the USA does not typically compete in Copa America because the country is not part of CONEMBOL, the South American soccer federation. As such, the ten member states of CONEMBOL regularly compete in the competition, and other nations are sometimes invited to make up the numbers.
Instead of playing regularly in Copa America, the USA competes in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is for nations from North and Central America, as well as the Caribbean. Let’s take a closer look at Copa America and why the USA has actually appeared in the tournament over the years.
Which nations compete in Copa America?
There are currently ten member states of CONEMBOL, and they are the nations that regularly compete for the Copa America crown. The nations are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Ultimately, Copa America is a tournament that brings together South American nations to compete for the trophy, which is why Central and North American teams do not enter the competition by default.
However, due to the fact that there are only ten CONEMBOL nations, the federation has a policy of inviting guest nations to compete in the tournament, which is something CONCACAF also does for the Gold Cup.
A total of nine nations have been invited to participate in Copa America, including Costa Rica, Honduras, Japan, Jamaica, Mexico, Haiti, Panama, the United States, and Qatar. So, while the USA is not included in every Copa America competition, they have been invited to play on numerous occasions, as we explain below.
Has the USA ever competed in Copa America?
The USA has been invited to participate in Copa America as a guest nation on four separate occasions. Their first appearance was in 1993, and they also participated in the tournament in 1995, 2007, and 2016.
In fact, the USA is the nation with the second most number of invitations to the tournament behind Mexico, who have competed at Copa America ten times. The USA’s best performance at Copa America came in 1995 when they reached the semi-finals. They also reached the same stage in 2016.
The 2016 competition was extra special, and it was known as Copa America Centenario. It was the hundredth anniversary of the tournament and brought together nations from CONCACAF and CONEMBOL for the first time.
The USA hosted the memorable tournament in 2016, becoming the first ever nation outside of South America to do so. Therefore, while the USA doesn’t regularly compete in Copa America, it’s fair to say that they have an affinity with the tournament and have come close to winning the crown on two occasions.
What international competition does the USA regularly compete in?
The USA regularly competes in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is the equivalent of Copa America for North & Central American nations, as well as countries from the Caribbean.
The Gold Cup is played every two years and is when you’re most likely to see the US national team in action. The USA has a rich history in the tournament and typically dominates proceedings.
In addition to the Gold Cup, the USA also competes in the World Cup, which is the most prestigious international soccer tournament in the world. The World Cup is held every four years, and the 2022 installment will be played in Qatar.
In 2026, the World Cup will be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. It will be the second time that World Cup matches have been played on American soil, following the incredible success of the 1994 competition.
So, if you want to see the US men’s national team in action at an international soccer tournament, keep your eyes peeled for their appearances in the Gold Cup and World Cup, respectively.
Are you interested to learn about how FIFA selects nations to host the World Cup? Find out what it takes for a nation to be selected to host the World Cup by checking out our recent article on the topic.
Where can I watch Copa America live?
Even if the USA is not competing in Copa America, it’s an awesome tournament that showcases some of the most talented players on the planet. As such, lots of American soccer fans are keen to tune into the action from home.
The good news is that multiple networks broadcast Copa America, including FOX, Univision, and TUDN. You can also live stream the action on various platforms, providing you with the action on your laptop, smartphone, or tablet.
So, if you want to enjoy the best soccer that South American nations have to offer, be sure to tune into Copa America, even if the USA hasn’t been invited as a guest nation!
Recap: Does the USA compete in Copa America?
In spite of the name of the tournament, the USA is not a regular attendee of the Copa America tournament. This is because Copa America is the CONEMBOL flagship tournament that is played by nations from South America.
That being said, because there are only ten nations in the CONEMBOL federation, they regularly invite guest nations to participate in the tournament, and the USA has competed in Copa America on four occasions.
So, if you’re a fan of the USMNT, Copa America is undoubtedly a competition to keep your eye on, even if the USA doesn’t compete in every competition that comes around.