2016 Copa América Centenario: Confirmed & Added to FIFA Calendar [R]

Meh, non-UEFA competing clubs aren't necessarily in need of more games. A team like Leicester City is probably more overwhelmed than Arsenal right now (imo). At least the richer clibs playing in Europe can afford to build a strong bench.

The exposure argument is weak also. The tournament would get zero attention without the top 7 teams involved. It would be like removing the Spanish, English, German and Italian clubs from the Europa League and expecting Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk to get MORE exposure.

 

The same can be said for the two teams that reach the Milk/Littlewoods/Rumbelows/Coca-Cola/Worthington/Carling/Capital One League Cup Final, which is played on the weekend when league fixtures normally take place.

 

Yeah, I think its difficult to find a system that works well when it comes to these second-rate competitions. There never seems to be a good solution. The best option is probably just to get rid of them or at least to trim the number of matches involved in them.

And this coming from someone who actually likes the Europa League (but seriously - it needs major trimming).

 

If you go to this page and wait a bit until it loads all the competitions, you'll see this:

Copa America Centenario 2016 > Prel. Comp.

So if the playoffs (involving CONCACAF teams) are considered continental qualifiers, then the Copa 2016 matches will be continental final matches for all teams involved.

 

I have created a ticket exchange thread for the tournament this summer. It is entitled Copa America Centenario 2016 Ticket Exchange and can be found under 'FIFA and Tournaments'

 

I seem to remember that Mexico's games in the Copa America have one weighting for Mexico (friendly?) and one weighting for the CONMEBOL opponent (continental cup). Makes sense - no? Mexico already has two Gold Cups in a four-year window as continental cups. Why should they get three opportunities to bring home continental cup points?

Thanks for this. You seem to be well versed in the details of the FIFA ranking. Is this different from the usual Copa America guest situation? (given the CONCACAF associations also have the Centenario on their FIFA calendar)

Just when I thought I couldn't dislike this Copa Centenario any more.

It needs to be formalized. One continental cup per four-year window on the FIFA calendar, period. Organize one annually if you want but only one of them should be on the calendar.

 

Looks like Messi will play for Argentina.

Any news on Neymar and Luis Suarez?

 

The Olympics are in Rio and Brazil have never won an Olympic gold. I think it's a no-brainer for Neymar, and it's assumed that Brazilian players aren't going to be at both tournaments.

 

Neymar is still up in the air and as faiyez alluded to the Olympics seem to be the way for him to go.

Everything I have heard about Suarez is that since he missed the last Copa America he really wants to play in this one. But there is nothing official yet.

Other key figures:

It was brought up in the Copa America forum that Chicharito is leaning towards the Olympics.

As for James I think if Colombia qualifies to the Olympics he is 50-50.
If Colombia does not make the Olympics he will probably be in the Copa America Centenario.

And Falcao says he wants to play in both the Olympics and Copa America.

 

I'm not defending what FIFA is doing, but they did give Mexico continental cup weighting for Copa America 2015. If you go to http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/ranking-table/men/rank=252/index.html and click on Mexico, under "Points Last Month" they have a combination of friendlies weighted 1 and their three Copa America games weighted 3.

 

I agree with your gist of fairness, but you left out one important factor, the continental multiplier and how it is applied in EVERY GAME. Simply being from Concacaf means Mexico will earn fewer points NO MATTER who they they play, not just for games within Concacaf. That is a real albatross around their neck. Chile got more points for their tie with Brazil in 2014 than Mexico did for their tie with Brazil. Brazils 3-1 over Croatia was worth more than Mexico's 3-1 over Croatia. Costa Rica got fewer points for beating Italy 1-0 than Uruguay did for beating Italy 1-0. This is insanely unfair. Concaf/Caf/Afc teams literally start EVERY game with 7-15% point discount. If in a WC group 1000 point England defeats Italy 1-0 and earns 100 points from the game, 1000 point Costa Rica also defeating Italy would only earn about 930 points. Now image this discount applying year after year and what it means within a confederation. Not just do they have the discount, their opponents start with fewer points because they are not permitted to earn full points in the WC. This is a vicious negative feedback cycle.

It is basically now impossible for a team not in Europe or Conmebol to get a WC seed no matter how well they do. If somehow Mexico manages to get enough points in this Copa and the 2017 Confed Cup to get a seed, they will have more than earned it.

 

Thank you all for clarifying. I never pay close attention to the FIFA rankings (even when Switzerland benefits as in Brazil 2014) because they are complete nonsense.

 

I missed this, but great post.

 

To somehow, return to the original topic of this thread :

On regards to the Chilean National Team, that will go.

Change of plans : our FA president together with J.A. Pizzi (our new coach), a few hours ago said, that we are going to go with our best possible team ...

The idea, is to win it again.

(Sampaoli, our former coach, wanted to use the tournament to experiment with newer players)

 

Very commendable! It was disappointing to hear that Chile would not take a full-strength side.

 

Organizers of this Copa are the real winners here now that Chile will bring their best. They can now use Arsenal's Sanchez and Bayern's Vidal in their advertising and marketing campaigns.


But seriously it will be a real joy for fans of all ages to see those players and others live and in person. It can only help grow the sport (here in the USA) to see really good teams bring their best players.

 

Pots for the draw (per https://twitter.com/CA2016):
Pot 1: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, USA
Pot 2: Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay
Pot 3: Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama
Pot 4: Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela

Pot 2 was chosen as the four highest-ranked CONMEBOL members not in Pot 1 (using, of course, the FIFA rankings.)

 

And according to the Twitter posts, it seems that numbering within the groups (spots 2-4, for example A2, A3, A4) have already been decided as well. Each pot number will correspond with that same position in the group, meaning that the seeded teams will have their highest-ranked opponent in their opening game, as the A2, B2. C2. D2 positions will all come from Pot 2. A little odd, as it puts all of the "best" matchups on the first weekend instead of spreading it out.

 

Can someone tell me if this looks right...as far as I can tell, here are the possibilities for the matches I'll have tickets for with the Pasadena venue pass:

June 4
B1 (brazil) vs B2 (colombia, chile, ecuador, or uruguay)

June 7
A2 (colombia, chile, ecuador, or uruguay) vs A4 (bolivia, paraguay, peru, or venezuela)

June 9
C1 (mexico) vs C3 (costa rica, haiti, jamaica, panama)

 

So we can get Colombia, Costa Rica & Paraguay in our group?

Fun.