Copa America 2021: fixtures, squads, TV schedule, and host, as South American football tournament is confirmed

Copa America kicks off later this month against a backdrop of rising Covid cases and civil unrest
Brazil will host Copa America despite high numbers of coronavirus cases (Getty Images)Brazil will host Copa America despite high numbers of coronavirus cases (Getty Images)
Brazil will host Copa America despite high numbers of coronavirus cases (Getty Images)

The world’s oldest international football tournament is set to go ahead despite South America still being in the grips of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brazil, which recorded 78,000 cases on June 1, has been parachuted in as the tournament’s new host just days before it kicks off.

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Argentina were the second of the original co-hosts to be dropped due to a rapid rise in coronavirus infections, after matches were earlier removed from Colombia due to political unrest.

Here’s everything we know about the tournament and its chaotic build up.

Why is Brazil hosting the tournament?

A statement from South American football’s governing body CONMEBOL, which organises the Copa America, read: “Brazil will host the Copa America. The decision was adopted this Monday, after the approval of the Brazilian government to the request made by the Brazilian football confederation (CBF).”

The statement said CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez had initially spoken to his CBF counterpart Rogerio Caboclo about staging the games, who in turn referred the matter to Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro.

He was said to have supported the initiative immediately.

Dominguez said: “The Brazilian government demonstrated agility and decision-making capacity at a fundamental moment for South American football.

“Brazil is experiencing a moment of stability, it has proven infrastructure and accumulated experience and recently to organize a competition of this magnitude.”

Despite claims of stability, Brazil continues to record tens of thousands of coronavirus cases every day. Civil unrest is also gripping many of the country’s cities with many protesting Bolsonaro’s handling of the pandemic.

When does Copa America kick off?

The tournament is scheduled to kick off on June 13 and run until July 10.

Where can I watch the tournament in the UK?

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The BBC will broadcast all 28 games from the 2021 Copa America tournament.

The tournament will be streamed across BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

Copa America 2021 fixtures

Group stage (All times represented in BST)

June 13: Argentina vs. Chile, 10pmJune 14: Paraguay vs. Bolivia, 1amJune 14: Brazil vs. Venezuela, 12amJune 15: Colombia vs. Ecuador, 3amJune 17: Chile vs. Bolivia, 10pmJune 18: Argentina vs. Uruguay, 1amJune 19: Colombia vs. Venezuela, 12amJune 19: Peru vs. Brazil, 3amJune 20: Uruguay vs. Chile, 9pmJune 21: Argentina vs. Paraguay, 12am.June 21: Venezuela vs. Ecuador, 11pmJune 22: Colombia vs. Peru, 2amJune 23: Bolivia vs. Uruguay, 10pmJune 24: Chile vs. Paraguay, 1amJune 24: Ecuador vs. Peru, 11pmJune 25: Colombia vs. Brazil, 2amJune 27: Argentina vs. Bolivia, 10pmJune 27: Uruguay vs. Paraguay, 10pmJune 29: Ecuador vs. Brazil, 2amJune 29: Venezuela vs. Peru, 2am

Knockout stage

Quarterfinal 1, July 2: No. 2 Group A vs. No. 3 Group B, 10pmQuarterfinal 2, July 3: No. 1 Group A vs. No. 4 Group B, 1amQuarterfinal 3, July 3: No. 2 Group B vs. No. 3 Group A, 11pmQuarterfinal 4, July 4: No. 1 Group B vs. No. 4 Group A , 2amSemifinal 1, July 6: Quarterfinal 1 Winner vs. Quarterfinal 2 winner, 2amSemifinal 2, July 7: Quarterfinal 3 Winner vs. Quarterfinal 4 winner, 12amThird-Place Match, July 10: Semifinal 1 Loser vs. Semifinal 2 Loser, 1amFinal, July 11: Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner, 1am

Copa America squads

Teams have until June 3 to publish their full squad.

The following squads have been announced as of June 2:

Argentina

Goalkeepers: Agustin Marchesn (Porto), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Juan Musso (Udinese) Franco Armani (River).

Defenders: Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax), German Pezzella (Fiorentina), Jose Luis Palomino (Atalanta), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Cristian Romero (Atalanta), Nahuel Molina (Udinese), Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina), Lisandro Martinez (Ajax) , Juan Foyth (Villarreal) and Gonzalo Montiel (River).

Midfielders: Marcos Acuna (Sevilla), Joaquin Correa (Lazio), Rodrigo De Paul (Udinese), Angel Di Mara (PSG), Nicolas Domnguez (Bologna), Giovanni Lo Celso (Tottenham), Guido Rodriguez (Betis), Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla ), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen) and Leandro Paredes (PSG).

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Emiliano Buenda (Norwich City), Lucas Alario (Bayer Leverkusen), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla), Angel Correa (Atletico de Madrid), Nicolas Gonzalez (Stuttgart), Lautaro Martinez (Inter) and Julian Alvarez (River).

Brazil

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Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Manchester City) and Weverton (Palmeiras).

Defenders: Emerson (Real Betis), Danilo (Juventus), Alex Sandro (Juventus), Renan Lodi (Atltico de Madrid), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Lucas Verissimo (Benfica), Marquinhos (PSG) and Thiago Silva (Chelsea) .

Midfielders: Casemiro (Real Madrid), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Everton Ribeiro (Flamengo), Fabinho (Liverpool), Fred (Manchester United) and Lucas Paquet (Olympique Lyon).

Forwards: Everton (Benfica), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Gabriel Barbosa (Flamengo), Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City), Neymar (PSG), Richarlison (Everton) Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid).

Chile

Goalkeepers: Gabriel Arias (Racing), Claudio Bravo (Betis), Gabriel Castellon (Huachipato).

Defenders: Yonathan Anda (U. de Chile), Jean Beausejour (Coquimbo Unido), Eugenio Mena (Racing), Mauricio Isla (Flamengo), Guillermo Maripn (Monaco), Francisco Sierralta (Watford), Gary Medel (Bologna), Enzo Roco (free agent), Sebastin Vegas (Monterrey).

Midfielders: Toms Alarcon (O’Higgins), Claudio Baeza (Toluca), Pablo Galdames (Vlez), Juan Leiva (U. Catlica) Clemente Montes (U. Catlica), Carlos Palacios (Inter de Porto Alegre), Charles Aranguiz (Bayer Leverkusen), Csar Pinares (Guild), Erick Pulgar (Fiorentina), Arturo Vidal (Inter).

Forwards: Ben Brereton (Blackburn Rovers), Bryan Carrasco (Palestinian), Luis Jimenez (Palestinian), Jean Meneses (Len), Felipe Mora (Portland Timbers), Fabin Orellana (Real Valladolid), Alexis Sanchez (Inter), Eduardo Vargas ( Atltico Mineiro).

Colombia

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Goalkeepers: David Ospina (Napoli), Camilo Vargas (Atlas), Aldar Quintana (Atletico Nacional).

Defenders: Carlos Cuesta (Genk), Daniel Munoz (Genk), Dvinson Sanchez (Tottenham), Oscar Murillo (Pachuca), William Tesillo (Len), Stefan Medina (Monterre), Yairo Moreno (Len), Yerry Mina (Everton).

Midfielders: Baldomero Perlaza (Atltico Nacional), Gustavo Cullar (Al Hilal), James Rodriguez (Everton), Jefferson Lerma (Bournemouth), Juan Guillermo Cuadrado (Juventus), Mateus Uribe (Porto), Juan Fernando Quintero (Shenzen), Sebastin Perez ( Boavista), Wilmar Barrios (Zenit).

Forwards: Alfredo Morelos (Rangers), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta), Luis Diaz (Porto), Luis Fernando Muriel (Atalanta), Miguel Angel Borja (Junior), Rafael Santos Borr (River).

Paraguay

Goalkeepers: Antony Silva (Puebla), Gerardo Ortiz (Once Caldas), Juan Espinola (Godoy Cruz).

Defenders: Robert Rojas (River), David Martinez (River), Omar Alderete (Hertha Berln), Gustavo Gomez (Palmeiras), Junior Alonso (Atltico Mineiro), Fabin Balbuena (West Ham), Juan Escobar (Cruz Azul).

Midfielders: Gaston Gimenez (Chicago Fire), Andrs Cubas (Nimes), Oscar Romero (San Lorenzo), Robert Piris da Motta (Genlerbirligui), Miguel Almiron (Newcastle), Angel Romero (San Lorenzo).

Forwards: Carlos Gonzalez (Tigres), Braian Samudio (Rizespor), Alejandro Romero Gamarra (Al Taawon), Gabriel Valos (Argentinos Juniors).

Peru

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Goalkeepers: Carlos Caceda (Melgar), Jose Carvallo (University), Pedro Gallese (Orlando City).

Defenders: Luis Abram (Vlez Sarfield), Luis Advncula (Rayo Vallecano), Miguel Araujo (FC Emmen), Alexander Callens (New York City), Aldo Corzo (University), Marcos Lopez (San Jos Earthquakes), Jhilmar Lora (Sporting Cristal ), Christian Ramos (Csar Vallejo), Anderson Santamara (Atlas), Miguel Trauco (Saint Tienne).

Midfielders: Pedro Aquino (America), Christian Cueva (Al-Fateh), Martn Tvara (Sporting Cristal), Sergio Pea (FC Emmen), Edison Flores (DC United), Christopher Gonzles (Sporting Cristal), Yoshimar Yotn (Cruz Azul) .

Forwards: Luis Ibrico (Melgar), Andre Carrillo (Al Hilal), Paolo Guerrero (Inter de Porto Alegre), Gianluca Lapadula (Benevento), Alex Valera (University) and Ral Ruidaz (Seattle Sounders).

Uruguay

Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray) and Martin Campaa (Al Batin)

Defenders: Diego Godin (Cagliari), Jose Mara Gimenez (Atltico de Madrid), Sebastin Coates (Sporting Portugal), Damin Surez (Getafe), Ronald Araujo (Barcelona), Matas Via (Palmeiras) and Martn Caceres (Fiorentina).

Midfielders: Nahitan Nandez (Cagliari), Lucas Torreira (Atltico de Madrid), Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus), Mauro Arambarri (Getafe), Matas Vecino (Inter), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid), Fernando Gorriarn (Santos Laguna) and Nicolas de la Cruz (River Plate).

Forwards: Brian Rodrguez (Almeria), Jonathan Rodrguez (Cruz Azul), Luis Suarez (Atltico de Madrid), Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Flamengo), Cristhian Stuani (Girona), Darwin Nez (Benfica), and Maxi Gomez (Valencia).