MIAMI (Reuters) – Defending Copa America champions Argentina and South American heavyweights Brazil were drawn in favourable groups for next year’s edition on Thursday, while hosts the United States will come up against 15-time winners Uruguay.
World Cup winners Argentina kick off the tournament at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 20 with a Group A match-up against Canada or Trinidad and Tobago, who will meet in a CONCACAF playoff in March.
Argentina will also face Peru and Chile in a rematch of the 2016 centenary edition final, where Lionel Messi’s side lost on penalties in the first tournament played on U.S. soil.
Nine-time winners Brazil, runners-up at the previous tournament, have been drawn in Group D with Colombia and Paraguay as well as another CONCACAF qualifier, either Honduras or Costa Rica.
The U.S. face Bolivia and Panama in their first two Group C matches before taking on heavy-hitters Uruguay, who are tied with Argentina for the most Copa titles (15).
The Americans are hoping to improve on their best result in the tournament following their top-four finish in 2016.
CONCACAF Gold Cup winners Mexico are in Group B alongside Jamaica, Venezuela and Ecuador.
The top two in each of the four groups proceed to the quarter-finals.
The draw was held at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, the host city of the final on July 14 at the Hard Rock Stadium.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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