Lionel Messi will have another chance to win a major trophy with the Argentina national football team in the 2021 Copa America. Neymar's Brazil are the defending champions. Luis Suarez's Uruguay remain another favorites. (More Football News)
South American football body, CONMEBOL, on Wednesday chose Brazil as a replacement host on Monday after Argentina was dropped because of the spread of COVID-19.
Colombia was removed as a co-host on May 20 amid street protests against President Ivan Duque. Many health experts criticized the move to bring Copa America to Brazil, where the death toll is currently at more than 465,000.
Format
The format of the tournament, with two groups of five, was maintained. Group A includes Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguai, Chile and Paraguay. Group B has Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru. The four best of each group advance to the knockout stage.
Venues and key dates
CONMEBOL has announced that the historic Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro will host the final of Copa America 2021 on July 11. It also picked Brazil against Venezuela as the opener on June 14 at Brasilia's Mane Garrincha stadium.
The decider of the South American championship will be the only match of the tournament at the Maracana, which also hosted the final two years ago when Brazil beat Peru 3-1 to win its ninth title.
The semifinals will be at the Nilton Santos stadium in Rio on July 6 and at the Mane Garrincha in Brasilia on the next day. Quarterfinals will take place on July 3 at the Nilton Santos and Goiania's Olimpico stadium, and July 4 at the same Olimpico stadium and Brasilia's Mane Garrincha.
Rio and Brasilia will host eight matches of the tournament each. Goiânia will have seven games and Cuiaba, five, all in the group stage. Due to the pandemic, spectators will not be able to attend any Copa America matches.
Brazil, defending champions
After the opener, Brazil will play against Peru and Colombia at the Nilton Santos stadium and finish their group-stage campaign against Ecuador in Goiania. If the hosts finish on the top in their group they could play all knockout stage matches in Rio.
Argentina, the contenders
Lionel Messi and Argentina will play their first match in the tournament against Chile at the Nilton Santos, clash with Uruguay and Paraguay in Brasilia, and finally face Bolivia in Cuiaba.
Groups
Group A: Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay
Group B: Brazil, Colombia, Venezuala, Ecuador, Peru
Following are the Copa America's group stage matches
Match 1: Brazil vs Venezuela, Group B at Brasilia on June 14 (2:30 AM IST)
Match 2: Colombia vs Ecuador, Group B at Cuiaba on June 14 (5:30 AM IST)
Match 3: Argentina vs Chile (Group A) at Rio de Janeiro on June 15 (2:30 AM IST)
Match 4: Paraguay vs Bolivia (Group A) at Goiania on June 15 (5:30 AM IST)
Match 5: Colombia vs Venezuela (Group B) at Goiania on June 18 (2:30 AM IST)
Match 6: Brazil vs Peru (Group B) at Rio de Janeiro on June 18 (5:30 AM IST)
Match 7: Chile vs Bolivia (Group A) at Cuiaba on June 19 (2:30 AM IST)
Match 8: Argentina vs Uruguay (Group A) Brasilia on June 19 (5:30 AM IST)
Match 9: Venezuela vs Ecuador (Group B) at Rio de Janeiro on June 21 (2:30 AM IST)
Match 10: Colombia vs Peru (Group B) at Goiania on June 21 (5:30 AM IST)
Match 11: Uruguay vs Chile (Group A) at Cuiaba on June 22 (2:30 AM IST)
Match 12: Argentina vs Paraguay (Group A) at Brasilia on June 22 (5:30 AM IST)
Match 13: Ecuador vs Peru (Group B) at Goiania on June 24 (2:30 AM IST)
Match 14: Brazil vs Colombia (Group B) at Rio de Janeiro on June 24 (5:30 AM IST)
Match 15: Bolivia vs Uruguay (Group A) at Cuiaba on June 25 (2:30 AM IST)
Match 16: Chile vs Paraguay (Group A) at Brasilia on June 25 (5:30 AM IST)
Match 17: Ecuador vs Brazil (Group B) at Goiania on June 28 (2:30 AM IST)
Match 18: Venezuela vs Peru (Group B) at Brasilia on June 28 (5:30 AM IST)
Match 19: Uruguay vs Paraguay (Group A) at Rio de Janeiro on June 29 (2:30 AM IST)
Match 20: Bolivia vs Argentina (Group A) at Cuiaba on June 29 (5:30 AM IST)
How to watch
TV Channels: Sony Pictues Network (Also in the subcontinent,
excluding Pakistan)
Live Streaming: SonyLIV
Rest of the world *
Australia: Optus Sport (pay)
Canada: Univision Canada (pay)
China: PP Sports (pay)
Pakistan: Ten Sports (pay)
US: FOX, Univision (both free); FS1/FS2, TUDN/Galavision (pay)
UK: BBC (pay)
MENA countries: beIN Sports (pay)
CONMEBOL *
Argentina: Television Publica (free); TyC Sports/DirecTV Sports (pay)
Bolivia: Bolivia TV (free); Tigo Sports/DirecTV Sports (pay)
Brazil: SBT (free); Fox Sports/ESPN (pay)
Chile: Canal 13 (free); TNT Sports (pay)
Colombia: Caracol Television (free); Win Sports, DirecTV Sports (pay)
Ecuador: Gamavision (free); DirecTV Sports (pay)
* As available on public domain
Paraguay: Tigo Sports, DirecTV Sports (pay)
Peru: America Television (free); DirecTV Sports (pay)
Uruguay: DirecTV Sports, Tenfield TV (pay)
Venezuela: TLT; DirecTV Sports (pay)
