2015, not 2013. Apologies for the typo. There are enough international dates for both CONMEBOL and CONCACAF to avoid summer 2016 in qualification, even if that means they start qualifying a little earlier than usual. Copa America 2016 could be a game-changer for both continents financially because it could be the first time they have a product that can go toe-to-toe with UEFA on revenues, rather than just on-field quality. That is money that CONMEBOL countries can reinvest domestically. It would be a shame to pass it up. I imagine the uncertainty over whether teams will send senior sides is what is holding up US English-language rights.
Yes. And other factors such as the Club teams not wanting to release South American players back- to- back summers for two different Copa Americas. Heck, from what I have been reading Europe and their Club teams don't even want to release players for official FIFA dates anymore. So that is a huge obstacle too.
Then you have the Olympics in which up to 3 South American teams will want their best U23 players (many of whom play for big clubs and are already Senior National team players) and 3 over age players will probably be used to participate. Things are a bit convoluted in the summer of 2016.
I am not sure it's as big an obstacle as it seems. The reality is that even South American players have less opportunities in UEFA than they once did because of non-EU player rules. So a few clubs will crow, but ultimately the clubs benefit from international tournaments because it raises the visibility of their players in new markets, which boosts transfer market value, which helps everyone. I don't think it's insurmountable.
I know Brazil will care somewhat about Olympic soccer because they're hosting but I don't really consider that an important competition and its tv values are wrapped up in a bigger rights deal.
When a Club team invests millions of dollars in a South American player the less international Duty, the less risk for injury for their investment. I believe many Club teams will only want their players to play in one of the Copas and not both.
I can tell you the South American teams/Federations playing in the first and only South American Olympics will most definitely care about it.
Right, but the big clubs don't want their players playing internationally at all. FIFA will make these decisions, not the clubs. If the big clubs ran things, there wouldn't be a world cup at all. They don't. A bunch of bureaucrats in Switzerland run things. Those bureaucrats like money from international soccer. If they think Copa America 2016 can deliver that, then it will be there.
Well, it CAN happen. Just mentioning it as one of the reasons things are going slowly in the English TV rights process. And I am not sure if it will happen. If the CONMEBOL changes their marathon WCQ schedule, if the tournament becomes FIFA approved and is part of the FIFA Calendar, it can be great. Just not sure if it will happen due to all the different factors I mentioned.
Here's the best I could find. Sunil Gulati, president of U.S. Soccer and a member of the FIFA executive committee, on the possibility of getting the combined Copa América 2016 in the U.S. onto the official FIFA calendar: “The two presidents of the confederations are optimistic and working hard on that. We’ve had discussions. That scheduling meeting will happen [at FIFA] in September, and we’re hopeful that it’ll be on the calendar or in some other way allow all the players to participate, even if it can’t be officially on the calendar but in a way that will allow all players from 16 participating teams to play in the tournament. That would be absolutely critical. We think it’ll be a terrific event once that’s accomplished.” http://www.si.com/soccer/planet-fut...d-cup-copa-america-mls-hope-solo-sepp-blatter
The list of stadiums, as it currently stands, ignores the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. I hope this changes. It's a big oversight.
Second stage of Caribbean Cup Qualifying was completed last week. Third stage draw (this stage is set to be completed next FIFA window; top two teams from each group will join Cuba and Jamaica in Caribbean Cup with winner advancing to Copa Centenario; 3/4 teams along winner will qualify to Gold Cup where two berths for Centenario will be available) group 7 Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Dominican Republic group 8 Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Barbados, French Guiana* group 9 Guadaloupe*, Curacao, Martinique*, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines * not full FIFA member, unknow wheter they can or not take part in 2016 Copa Knocked-out of 2016 Copa US Virgin Islands Turks and Caicos Islands British Virgin Islands Montserrat Aruba Bonaire Suriname Puerto Rico Grenada Anguilla Guyana Dominica Didn't take part in qualifiers Bahamas Bermuda Cayman Islands Saint Martin Sint Maarten
This isn't a FIFA tournament...and it doesn't even have any Confederations Cup implications. I don't see any reason why they would be barred from participating. Besides, with the requisite five years having passed since Thierry Henry and Florent Malouda retired from the French NT, one or both could sign off from international football with Guadeloupe/Martinique or French Guiana (respectively) at this tournament.
I thought soccer was really becoming popular in Puerto Rico. They can't even field a national team to compete with other island nations?
Club ball, yes, but that was mostly the now-defunct Puerto Rico Islanders - and they rarely started more than two home-bred boricuas in any game. To put the national team in perspective: they have never made the final eight in the Caribbean Cup.
The Central American champion spot will go to the winner between Costa Rica and Guatemala on Saturday. IIRC, the chapines have never played in a Copa América, right?
Copa Centroamericana was completed yesterday. Costa Rica is the first team to qualify to 2016 Copa beside 12 fixed berths. Two teams joined previously knocked teams from Caribbean. Qualified to 2016 Copa Costa Rica Knocked-out of 2016 Copa US Virgin Islands Turks and Caicos Islands British Virgin Islands Montserrat Aruba Bonaire Suriname Puerto Rico Grenada Anguilla Guyana Dominica Belize Nicaragua Didn't take part in qualifiers Bahamas Bermuda Cayman Islands Saint Martin Sint Maarten
Big news: FIFA voted to add the Copa América 2016 to its calendar. This doesn't necessary force the federations to call up A-teams; but if they do (and I'm pretty sure almost everyone will), clubs will now be obligated to release players. This is going to be a hit And a new twist to CONCACAF's qualification: if a team other than the US, Mexico, Costa Rica or the Caribbean champion wins the 2015 Gold Cup, that team will qualify automatically for the Copa América, leaving one spot to be contested between the best two Gold Cup participants not yet qualified.
The CONCACAF teams will, since there's nothing else going on that summer w/senior teams (I can't see any of them prioritizing the Olympics over this). As for the CONMEBOL members: I could see Brazil letting Neymar rest up before the Olympics, but the other federations must be salivating at the opportunity to fleece their expat communities in the US.
We'll see. I am hoping the "A" squads come but I am not sure it will happen yet. But this is a step in the right direction.