The one that will become the best Copa America in history begins

• The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and the Local Organizing Committee of the CONMEBOL Copa América Brazil 2019 started on Tuesday 22, the Team Seminar, in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. The event, which takes place prior to the group draw, gathers technicians and representatives of the 12 participating teams.

The objective of the meeting is to present to the National Associations details of the organization on topics such as logistics, transport, security, marketing, arbitration, among others. The representatives will also receive all the information about the five host cities and their respective stadiums so that they can plan in the best way possible until the start of the competition, on June 14.

CONMEBOL General Secretary, José Astigarraga, highlighted the value of the Brazilian professionals working in the organization: «The CONMEBOL Copa América is a centennial cup, a proud Cup of CONMEBOL. This year, it will be in Brazil, a country that welcomes us with a first world infrastructure, with all the logistics facilities, but mainly with an outstanding human team, with highly trained people, with much knowledge and experience for having organized the main events sports of the world in recent years. Having the great team of the Local Organizing Committee, which has the support of the CONMEBOL team, gives us the certainty that this tournament will be a great success.»

Rogério Caboclo, CEO of the Council of the Local Organizing Committee of the CONMEBOL Copa América Brazil 2019, and Fernando Sarney, President of the Local Organizing Committee Council of the CONMEBOL Copa América Brazil 2019, made the official opening of the seminar.

«Welcome to this wonderful city of Rio de Janeiro, symbol of football and country. It has been a great honour to preside over the Organizing Committee of the CONMEBOL Copa América Brazil 2019, which has been in operation for a year now to organize the oldest and most traditional competition in the world. This Committee is made up of experienced professionals, bringing the baggage and knowledge accumulated with the organization of the Rio 2007 Panamerican Games, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The seminar is decisive for the success of our Copa América. I wish you a profitable job in these two days that you will meet. I declare open the work of the seminar of the teams of the CONMEBOL Copa América,» said Fernando Sarney.

About the Draw in the CONMEBOL Copa América Brazil 2019

The FIFA Ranking of December 20, 2018 served as the basis for the definition of all the seeds and determined the division of the teams in the four balls of the CONMEBOL Copa América Brazil 2019, which will be on the 24th day, starting at 8:30 pm, at Cidade das Artes, Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil, the host country, is one of the heads of the key and will remain in the A1 position, with the ball of different colour in the box 1. Next to it, also as heads of a key, will be Uruguay and Argentina, which will be drawn for the Groups B and C (always in position 1 of these groups).

After the draw of the key heads (positions B1 and C1), the countries that will form each key and their respective positions within each group will be drawn. The balls of the balls 2, 3 and 4 will have the participating selections while the balls A, B and C will correspond to the positions in the groups. Colombia, Chile and Peru are in box 2. Venezuela, Paraguay and Japan will be in box 3 while box 4 will have Ecuador, Bolivia and Qatar.

Even in different scoops, Japan and Qatar, as invited teams, will not be able to face each other in the group stage of the tournament.

CONMEBOL Copa América Brazil 2019

The 46th edition of the oldest tournament in the world, which will return to Brazil after 30 years, will be held in five host cities (Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Sao Paulo) among 12 participating teams. Nine titles of the FIFA World Cup and some of the greatest stars of world football will be gathered in the field.

In addition to the 10 South American member countries of CONMEBOL (Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela), Japan and Qatar will participate as guests.

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