2024 Copa America To Be Hosted in the US

South American football association CONMEBOL announced on January 27 that it had reached an agreement with CONCACAF to host the 2024 Copa America in the United States. The tournament format will feature 16 teams, with 10 from CONMEBOL and 6 from CONCACAF. Each of the six teams from the North, Central American, and Caribbean football confederation will qualify for the tournament via the 2023-24 CONCACAF Nations League.

The timely announcement comes just before the US, Mexico, and Canada host the 2026 World Cup. CONMEBOL released in a statement that 2024 Copa America serves as “preparation for the upcoming World Cup” and gives the teams a chance to compete in a 2026 World Cup host country. While the move to select the United States as a host nation for Copa America is strategic in promoting the growth of this sport throughout the Americas and both confederations, 2024 Copa America will also give the US more time to improve venues for the traditional atmosphere of any World Cup.

The last time the United States hosted the Copa America was in 2016 when they reached the semifinals before being destroyed by Argentina 4-0. And considering the highest attendance ever recorded in a single World Cup was in the 1994 USA World Cup, with over 3.5 million total filling stadiums that tournament, the 2024 Copa America and 2026 World Cup will bring new venues and may just break the record attendance set in ‘94 again.

Juventus Point Deduction in Serie A

An Italian football court deducted 15 points from Serie A club Juventus after investigating transfer dealings by the Italian club and others. The court also banned 11 of the past and present Juventus directors from holding office, including a 24-month ban for chairman Andrea Agnelli who resigned last November.

While the ruling has greatly damaged the club’s reputation, Juventus, who lagged 10 points behind league leaders Napoli, plummeted from third to 10th place after the deduction, diminishing hopes for entering any prestigious European competition like Europa or Champions League. Looking to file appeals over the new ruling and challenge the allegations of false accounting, the club and its city of Turin hope to overturn the ruling.

Among the newly imposed bans includes a 30-month ban for Fabio Paratici, current director of Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, which brings chaos to Italy and all of Europe.