Copa America 2021: Groups, schedule, cities, TV broadcast, and all you need to know

Copa America 2021 will finally take place one year after its original kickoff date due to the pandemic outbreak. The oldest soccer national team competition is ready to get underway with an exciting edition that will take place in Brazil for the second straight time.

Argentina and Colombia were originally going to be the co-hosts ofthe 47th edition of the South American competition, butthe sanitary situation in both countries disallowed them to do so. However, the reigning champions, Brazil, will be trying to retain their crown at home while other giants like Argentina and Uruguay will try to get back to the throne.

The great contest that usually takes place every four years – except for the past decade in which the tournament had different dates – is about to begin, and it’s time to take a look at everything you need to know about it. Here, let’s take a look at the groups, schedule, stadiums, TV broadcasts, and more about Copa America 2021.

Copa America 2021 Groups

This edition of the Copa America was originally scheduled for 2020 and included two overseas teams that were invited to the tournament. However, after the Covid-19 broke out Australia and Qatar turned down their spots and the competition will be played exclusively by South American national teams.

The ten sides will be divided into two groups of five. Only the bottom sides will be eliminated, while the other four will advance to the next stage. The two zones were drawn in a ceremony held in December 2019.

Copa America 2021 Schedule

Group A

Matchday 1

14/06 – 5 PM (ET) Argentina vs Chile – Nilton Santos, Río de Janeiro
14/06 – 8PM (ET)Paraguay vs. Bolivia – Olímpico, Goiânia

Matchday 2

18/06 – 5PM (ET)Chile vs.Bolivia – Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá
18/06 – 8 PM (ET) Argentina vs. Uruguay – Mané Garrincha, Brasilia

Matchday 3

21/06 – 5 PM (ET) Uruguay vs. Chile – Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá
21/06 – 8 PM (ET)Argentina vs. Paraguay – Mané Garrincha, Brasilia

Matchday 4

24/06 – 5 PM (ET) – Bolivia vs. Uruguay – Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá
24/06 – 8 PM (ET) – Chile vs. Paraguay – Mané Garrincha, Brasilia

Matchday 5

28/06 – 8PM (ET)Bolivia vs. Argentina – Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá
28/06 – 8 PM (ET) Uruguay vs. Paraguay – Nilton Santos, Río de Janeiro

Group B

Matchday 1

13/06 – 5 PM (ET) -Brazil vs. Venezuela – Mané Garrincha, Brasilia
13/06 – 8 PM (ET) Colombia vs. Ecuador – Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá

Matchday 2

17/06 – 5PM (ET) Colombia vs. Venezuela – Olímpico, Goianía
17/06 – 8PM (ET) Peru vs. Brazil – Nilson Santos, Río de Janeiro

Matchday 3

20/06 – 5PM (ET) -Venezuela vs. Ecuador – Nilson Santos, Río de Janeiro
20/06 – 8PM (ET) – Colombia vs. Peru- Olímpico, Goianía

Matchday 4

23/06 – 5 PM (ET) -Ecuador vs. Peru- Olímpico, Goianía
23/06 – 8PM (ET) -Brazil vs. Colombia – Nilson Santos, Río de Janeiro

Matchay 5

27/07 – 5PM (ET) – Ecuador vs. Brazil – Olímpico, Goianía
27/07 – 5PM (ET) – Venezuela vs. Peru – Mané Garrincha, Brasilia

Quarterfinals

02/07 – 5PM (ET) 2nd Group Bvs. 3rd Group A- Olímpico, Goianía
02/07 – 8PM (ET) 1st Group Bvs. 4th Group A- Nilson Santos, Río de Janeiro
03/07- 6 PM (ET) 2ndGroupA vs. 3rd GroupB – Mané Garrincha, Brasilia
03/07- 9PM (ET) 1st Group A vs. 4th Group B – Olímpico, Goianía

Semifinals

05/07 – 7 PM (ET) – Winner QF1 vs. Winner QF2 – Nilson Santos, Río de Janeiro
06/07 – 9PM (ET) – WinnerQF3 vs. WinnerQF4 – Mané Garrincha, Brasilia

Third-place game

09/07 – 8PM (ET)Loser SF1 vs. LoserSF2 – Mané Garrincha, Brasilia

Grand final

10/07 – 8PM (ET) WinnerSF1 vs.Winner SF2 – Maracanã Stadium, Río de Janeiro

Copa America 2021 Bracket and possible matchups

After the two national teams invited to the tournament withdrew to their participation,Conmebol had to make some changes to the format of the Copa America 2021.

Therefore, the ten teams taking part in this contest will be divided into two groups of five and only two sides will be eliminated at this stage.The first-seeded teamfrom one groupwill clash with the fourth-placed side from the other one, while the second-seeded will meet the third of the other zone. The winners of the quarterfinal-ties will advance to the semifinals.

Following that stage, the two loser teams will face off in the match for the third place that will be held in Brasilia, while the winners will meet in the grand final that is going totake place on July 10th at the Maracanã Stadium in Río de Janeiro.

Copa America 2021 Cities and Stadiums

The Copa America 2021 will be held in Brazil for the second straight time. Both Colombia and Argentina’s co-hosting rights were removed, and just like in 2019, we’ll see the tournament taking part in the home of the five-time world champions.

Brazil quickly proposed themselves as the organizers and have selected four cities and fifive stadiums to held the matches. Río de Janeiro will have two venues, with Nilson Santos andMaracanã Stadium. Asides from them,Goiânia, Cuiabá, and Brasilia will also host Copa America 2021 matches.

Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos – Río de Janeiro

TheEstádio Olímpico Nilton Santos is Brazilian club Botafogo‘shome and has a capacity of 46,931 spectators. Inaugurated in 2007 with the Pan American games, this modern venue’s construction began in 2003 and it has already hosted several high-profile events.

Named after one of the greatests defenders in soccer history, EstadioNilson Santos hosted athletic contests in the 2016 Olympic Games and in the Paralympics held in the same year. The Copa America 2021 will be another great event to take place here.

Estadio Olímpico Pedro Ludovico Teixeira -Goiânia

Located inGoiânia, the stadium’s name honors founding governor ofGoiás’ capital. It was inaugurated in 1941 and has heldthe home games of local teams mostly. It has been under renovations between 2015 and 2016 and has a capacity of 13,500 spectators.

Before being named as one of the five venues for the upcoming Copa America 2021, the Olímpico inGoiâniahosted 2019 U17 World Cupfixtures, being the greatest event that took place there so far.

Arena Pantanal – Cuiabá

A modern stadium built not long ago, Arena Pantanal located in Cuiabáis a multi-use venue that was specially constructed to host 2014 Brazil World Cup matches. It has a capacity of 44,003 spectators.

Following the exciting soccer World Cup, this stadiumhas been lacking important sports events, but with the Copa America 2021 being played there, it could be a great chance for the venue to be revitalised.

Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha – Brasilia

One of the most beautiful stadiums in Brazil, Estadio Mané Garrincha was inaugurated in 1974 with an original capacity of 45,200 spectators, but it had a great increase between 2010 and 2013 before the 2014 World Cup. After those renovations, it got ready to receive up to 72,788 people becoming the second-largest venue in the country.

Named after the iconic two-time world champion with the national team, Estadio Mané Garrincha has hosted a number of major sports events, such as 2014 World Cup, Confederations Cup, and many Copa Libertadores fixtures.

Maracanã Stadium – Río de Janeiro

Arguably soccer’s most iconic stadium, the Maracanã Stadium will be home of the Copa America 2021 grand final for the second straight time. It will be a new memorable nightfor this venue, which has seen a huge number of significant sports events throughout its life.

From the well-remembered 1950 World Cup final in which Uruguay came from behind to beat Brazil and pulled off one of the biggest shocks in soccer history, theMaracanã Stadium became the home to the most important games held in the country. Not long ago, Germany lifted the 2014 World Cup there in a dramatic final against Argentina, and the hosts claimed the Copa America 2019 over Peru.

TheMaracanã has beenalso famously known for beinga stadium with a capacity of over 100,000 spectators, having attendances of more than 150,000 peoplemultiple times. In the so-called Maracanazo match, there were 199,854 fans in the stadium. Even though the replacement of terraces for seats and renovations for the 2014 World Cuphavereduced its capacity to 78,838theMaracanã remains the largest stadium in Brazil.

TV channels that will broadcast the games

United States: Telemundo andTUDN.

Latin America: DirecTV Sports.

Europe: Bein Sports, and Eurosports.

Argentina: TV Pública, TyC Sports, andTyC Max.

Bolivia: Bolivia TV, and Tigo Sports+.

Brazil: SporTV, Rede Globo, andRede Bandeirantes.

Chile: TNT Sports, andCanal 13.

Colombia: Caracol, ESPN, andWinSports Plus.

Ecuador: Gama TV, and TC Televisión.

Paraguay: Telefuturo, Tigo Sports, and Tigo Max.

Peru: América Televisión.

Uruguay: Dexary.

Venezuela: Venevisión.

Copa America all-time top scorers

Beingsoccer’s oldest national team competition, theCopa America has featured an uncountable number of great players and proven goalscorers. The all-time leading goalscorers of South America’s greatest prize played many years ago, way before many of the current stars rose to fame.

With 17 goals between 1945, 1946, and 1947, the Argentine Norberto Méndez remains the tournament’s all-time top scorer. Brazilian player Zizinho has also been on target 17 times, but it took six editions for him to achieve that record.

The active player that has the most goals is Paolo Guerrero, who scored 14 times for Peru. Eduardo Vargas, from Chile, is two goals short of him, while the likes of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero have nine goals each.