Starting Friday, the United States will stage one of international soccer’s most famous tournaments, Copa America. To celebrate its 100th anniversary and unite the Americas, the crown jewel of South American futbol has ventured beyond continental borders for the first time.
Where better to stage it than the United States, where diverse demographics, a deepening appetite for international soccer and economic muscle will turn on a divergent soccer audience and turn a healthy profit?
A men’s competition of this stature has not come ashore since the 1994 World Cup. A well-run tournament and robust ticket sales would further bolster an already strong case to award the 2026 World Cup to the United States.