The Copa America Centenario is…different, in a word. The Centenario is a special edition of Copa Ameica in order to celebrate 100 years of the competition, which is the oldest international continental competition in the world.
Typically played among the 10 CONMEBOL teams with a pair of guest teams (Mexico has participated nine times), Copa America is being played outside of South America for the first time, with the United States hosting the massive gathering of the Americas. Six teams from CONCACAF join the South American contingent to make a field of 16 teams vying for the title.
This will be the 45th edition of the tournament, with Uruguay – winners of the first edition in 1916 – holding a record 15 titles. Argentina has 14 titles to its name. Chile is the defending champion, having beaten Argentina in penalty kicks of last year’s final for a first-ever crown.
Chile prevailed at home in 2015. As the history below shows, there is a distinct trend of a home-field advantage – especially for one-time winners…and Uruguay. Good news for the United States?
1926: Uruguay (Host: Chile)
1927: Argentina (Host: Peru)
1929: Argentina (Host: Argentina)
1935: Uruguay (Host: Peru)
1937: Argentina (Host: Argentina)
1939: Peru (Host: Peru)
1941: Argentina (Host: Chile)
1942: Uruguay (Host: Uruguay)
1945: Argentina (Host: Chile)
1946: Argentina (Host: Argentina)
1947: Argentina (Host: Ecuador)
1949: Brazil (Host: Brazil)
1953: Paraguay (Host: Peru)
1955: Argentina (Host: Chile)
1956: Uruguay (Host: Uruguay)
1957: Argentina (Host: Peru)
1959: Argentina (Host: Argentina)
1959: Uruguay (Host: Ecuador)
1963: Bolivia (Host: Ecuador)
1967: Uruguay (Host: Uruguay)
Copa America era
1975: Peru (No set host)
1979: Paraguay (No set host)
1983: Uruguay (No set host)
1987: Uruguay (Host: Argentina)
1989: Brazil (Host: Brazil)
1991: Argentina (Host: Chile)
1993: Argentina (Host: Ecuador)
1995: Uruguay (Host: Uruguay)
1997: Brazil (Host: Bolivia)
1999: Brazil (Host: Paraguay)
2001: Colombia (Host: Colombia)
2004: Brazil (Host: Peru)
2007: Brazil (Host: Venezuela)
2011: Uruguay (Host: Argentina)
2015: Chile (Host: Chile)
