Colombia are to host the final of next year’s Copa America they are jointly hosting with Argentina, Colombian President Ivan Duque announced on Thursday.
The South American competition between national teams has never before been hosted by two countries.
The final is to be played at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melendez in the Caribbean port city of Barranquilla, Mayor Alejandro Char said, promising a “gala.”
It would be the second successive year that the tournament is played, as the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has decided to align the Copa America with the European Championships, to be played every four years and two years apart from the FIFA World Cup.
Throughout most of its history, the Copa America has been played in odd years.
“The 2020 Copa America final will take place in Colombia, which has been one of the greatest desires of all of us,” Duque said at a public appearance.
He said that CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez had informed him of the “great news.”
CONMEBOL in April had decided to award hosting rights to the two countries at opposite ends of the continent.
The Colombian Football Federation spoke of its “pride and joy” on social media, promising “a memorable event.”
The tournament group stages are to be divided into two regions: Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru playing in the northern zone, while Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay are to face off in the southern zone.
The two guest teams — debutants Australia and Asian champions Qatar — have yet to be assigned to a zone.
Four teams from each zone would qualify for the quarter-finals.
Next year’s Copa America would be the fourth edition in a five-year period following the regular 2015 tournament and the one-off Copa America Centenario in the US in 2016.
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