What the Copa América is and what its history is
August 22, 2026 · 6 min
The Copa América is South America's great national team tournament and a genuine historical relic of football. Here at Golazo Scores we tell you what it is, where it comes from and why it proudly claims to be the oldest international competition for national teams still being played.
What the Copa América is
The Copa América is the championship that crowns the best national team in South America. It is organised by CONMEBOL, the confederation that brings together the South American federations, and features historic national teams such as Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia, among others.
In some editions, national teams from other regions, such as North America or Asia, have also been invited to complete the line-up. But at its heart it remains a battle between the great powers of South American football.
The oldest national team tournament
Its first edition dates back to 1916, making it the oldest international tournament for national teams still in existence. It was born even before the World Cup and has accompanied much of the modern history of football.
Over more than a century, the Copa América has changed its format and its calendar, but its prestige has remained intact. For South American national teams, winning it is one of the greatest honours possible.
How it is played
The usual format combines a group stage with a knockout phase. Teams are split into groups, play each other, and the best advance to the quarter-finals, from where everything is decided in a single match.
Then come the semi-finals and the grand final, plus a third-place match. As in other major tournaments, if a knockout match ends level, it goes to extra time or straight to penalties.
A tournament of legends
Argentina and Uruguay are the teams with the most titles in the competition's history, in a battle that has been going on for more than a hundred years. Brazil are also among the dominant forces, and together they have written much of the tournament's story.
Some of the greatest footballers of all time have graced the Copa América, leaving behind goals and moments that are part of South American football folklore. It is, in short, an event steeped in history that continues to thrill each new generation.
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