Copa América 2024 draw: pots, teams, format, and how does it work?

Every few years Copa América brings together the best international teams in South América to compete to be crowned the best on the continent.

The tournament typically features the ten CONMEBOL nations from South América, in addition to two ‘guest teams’ from other confederations. However the format is being changed for next year’s edition, with a total of 16 teams taking part.

For just the third time in the 108-year history of Copa América, the 2024 tournament will be held outside of South America; in the United States. The draw for the 2024 Copa América will be held at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida on Thursday, 7 December 2023.

Here’s everything you need to know...

Which teams have qualified for the Copa América?

The ten CONMEBOL nations are granted automatic qualification to the Copa América. This means that Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela will all be involved.

The six guests nations will include the four semi-finalist for the CONCACAF Nations League: Panama, United States, Jamaica and Mexico.

Full screen

The final two spots will be taken by two other CONCACAF nations. Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Honduras will compete for a place in Copa América in playoff matches held in March 2024.

What are the pots for the Copa América draw?

The group stage draw will commence on Thursday 7 December, with a four-pot seeding system in place. As a rough guide, the stronger teams are in Pot 1 with the weaker teams placed in Pot 4.

The 16-team tournament will begin with a group stage, comprised of four groups of four teams. The draw will allocate one team from each pot to each group, ensuring that each four-team group is of roughly equal quality.

The four Pot 1 teams have already been allocated their groups: Argentina (Group A), Mexico (Group B), United States (Group C), Brazil (Group D).

The identity of the two playoff winners in Pot 4 will not be known at the time of the draw, but they will be confirmed after the March fixtures.

What is the format for the Copa América?

Each team will play the other members of their group once, competing in a mini-league. After each team has played three games the top two from each group will progress to the quarter-finals; the remaining eight teams will be eliminated from the tournament.

In the quarter-finals the winner of Group A will take on the runner-up in Group B, with the runner-up in Group A facing the Group B winner. The same pattern will play out between Group C and Group D.

The winners of the quarter-finals will progress to the semi-finals, for the chance to advance to the final. All three knock-out rounds - quarter-finals, semi-finals, final - will be single-legged straight elimination fixtures.

The winner of the Copa América will be decided in the showpiece final at Miami Gardens on 14 July 2024.