United States set to host 2024 Copa America with Canada also participating

The United States is set to warm up for co-hosting the 2026 World Cup by first hosting the 2024 edition of Copa America, according to reports.

Alongside Mexico and Canada, the US are bringing world soccer’s biggest tournament back to North America for the first time since 1994 in four years.

But before then, the CanMNT and USMNT are due to participate in the 2024 Copa America with the United States hosting, according to a report from Fox Sports MX.

The report states that the two nations are ahead of Mexico in a bid to enter into the tournament, while former ESPN and Fox Sports broadcaster and current LAFC commentator Maximiliano Bretos even suggested the competition heading to the United States was a ‘done deal’.

Participation in the tournament would be a huge boost to both nation’s World Cup preparations.

The USMNT returned to the World Cup stage after missing out in 2018 and went unbeaten in Group B, drawing with Wales and England before beating Iran. However, they were then dumped out by the Netherlands in the round-of-16, failing to put their best foot forward in a 3-1 defeat.

Canada, meanwhile, played in their first World Cup since 1986, and despite some spirited showings against Belgium, Croatia, and Morocco – even scoring their first two goals in World Cup history – they left Qatar without a single point.

It’s easy to see how both nations were harmed in preparations by failing to play enough top-level opposition, with their competitive matches restricted to the Concacaf region and friendlies simply failing to recreate in-tournament scenarios.

Coming up against the likes of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay in a major tournament setting would prove a far more valuable lesson for two national teams with young, emerging, and inexperienced crops of players.

The USMNT have played in four previous editions of Copa America, finishing fourth in 1995 and 2016, while exiting in the group stages in 1993 and 2007.

2026’s fellow co-hosts, Mexico, appear not to be heading into Copa America as it stands, despite crashing out of the Qatar World Cup at the group stage. That said, it’s understood the Mexican federation maintains an interest in participating alongside the US and Canada.

Ecuador had previously been slated to host the 2024 Copa America before dropping out, while Peru have also expressed an interest in bringing the tournament within their borders.

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