16 team Copa America including CONCACAF proposed

[CanadianSoccerFan]

Report: CONCACAF Request Entry Into The Copa America

The CONCACAF head has revealed that his federation were seeking to create a 16-team mixed 'Copa Americas'.

By Daniel Edwards

Oct 6, 2010 10:14:00 AM

The 2015 Copa America could for the first time include the entire American continent, after North American governing body CONCACAF made a formal request to FIFA to be included in the South American tournament.

Under preliminary proposals, six North and Central American teams would join the 10 CONMEBOL members in the cup, which could be renamed the Copa Americas. Currently teams such as Mexico and the United States have participated in the Copa, but only in a highly controversial guest role.

CONCACAF head Chuck Blazer confirmed in an interview with Sports Illustrated that the idea had been considered for a long time in the organization, but that this was the first time it had been officially approved and put forward. The official however also stated that the economic interests of North American sides would also have to be protected.

“Other configurations might lend themselves to being possible,” he said. “Economic parameters would need to be met. The Gold Cup is the main source of revenue to support the youth programs and competitions that we do. If we did [a Copa Americas], we would have to see how it would replace what currently exists.”

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1616/concacaf/2010/10/06/2153459/report-concacaf-request-entry-into-the-copa-america

I have very mixed feelings on this.

[youllneverwalkalone]

My mixed feelings are very high if we make it, very low if we don't. Though this would presumably give us more official qualifying matches and potentially a chance to host a major tourney one day.

[Grizzly]

I really don't see any negatives to this at all. There would have to be a real qualifying process and it would give us a pretty good chance to play in a 2nd prestigious tournament besides the World Cup (Gold Cup has very little reputation or prestige). If we qualify we would have games against very good opposition and they would receive a lot of media coverage. There might be the odd bad result but overall I can't see anything negative from this. The Gold Cup could still be held in off years, possibly once every 4 years like a real continental championship.

With the new WCQ format proposal, this and the recent establishment of the Champions League, could CONCACAF actually be becoming an effective soccer organization?

[Sam]

If we still had a Gold Cup every four years on top of this Copa Americas I'd be fine, but I hope this doesn't scrap the Gold Cup entirely because I do like the idea that Canada does have a realistic hope of winning a trophy sometime in its future, and I just don't see that happening if we are bound to this new tournament forever.

[Grizzly]

If we still had a Gold Cup every four years on top of this Copa Americas I'd be fine, but I hope this doesn't scrap the Gold Cup entirely because I do like the idea that Canada does have a realistic hope of winning a trophy sometime in its future, and I just don't see that happening if we are bound to this new tournament forever.

It would be good if they kept the Gold Cup but if I had to choose between having a chance of winning a trophy and playing in a tournament that would both be something to get excited about and would improve our playing level, I would definitely choose the later even if we would probably never win it in our lifetime.

[Max]

Gold Cup could turn into U-23 event. Something like Olympics football tournament.

[RS]

My only problem with this plan is that it starts in 2015.

Can't we get into Copa America 2011 somehow??

[BuzzAndSting]

^ Gold Cup 2011 is the month before so I don't think that will happen. Unless we just should up, have the team just walk out onto to field and pretend there's a mix up.

[Obinna]

Sounds like they are referring to the status quo when they say "replacing what currently exists". And your right they won't scrap the Gold Cup, but it may take a different form. That is how I interpreted this anyways.

Hope it happens though, I can see this new tournament getting coverage similar to what the Euro's get (but likely not as much) which would be fantastic for the profile of the game here in NA. This will give the USA and Mexico room to improve as they have hit the ceiling in CONCACAF. As for us, if we can consistantly qualify through some type of reincarnate of the Gold Cup, Canadians will get to watch their country in a major tournament! This is fantastic news if it materializes, the Gold Cup does not attract the same audience that World Cup does but I but Copa America will, a tournament with Brazil, Argentia, Urugury, Chile, Paraguray etc. will attract attention. That being said, if we did qualify it would be tough for us, very tough. We could see groups like this:

Brazil

Columbia

Peru

Canada

Argentia

Mexico

Bolivia

Ecuador

Uruguay

USA

Honduras

Panama

Paraguay

Chile

Costa Rica

Venezula

[Keegan]

I'm imagining this could work and not knock out the Gold Cup

2014 World Cup/ Copa America Qualifiers 2015 Copa Americas 2016 Gold Cup/WCQ 2017 Confederations Cup/WCQ 2018 World Cup/Copa America Qualifiers

There's the cycle right there and its possible to keep everything... this would have CONCACACAF nations still playing less matches than european nations so what would the problem be?

European nations are literally always playing qualifiers, with a major tournament every 2 years.

[Keegan]

To add to that I think this would be awesome for all nations involved. A 16 team tournament that would easily be second to only the EUROs... it would get great coverage as it stands Copa America is a great tournament but it is too small.. CONCACAF can help it

[BuzzAndSting]

The Confederation cup is kind of inconsequencial because it's an 8 team tournament taking each federation winner, the host of the following World Cup and the defending World Cup champion.

2014 World Cup/ Copa America Qualifiers 2015 Copa Americas 2016 Gold Cup/WCQ 2017 Confederations Cup/WCQ 2018 World Cup/Copa America Qualifiers

This cycle works only if the Gold Cup and Copa America go to once every four years and the Gold Cup is moved to the winter. Same conclusions I made but both unlikely IMO.

[BuzzAndSting]

edit; The Confederation cup is kind of inconsequencial because it's an 8 team tournament taking each federation winner, the host of the following World Cup host and the defending World Cup champion.

[Sam]

^ Gold Cup 2011 is the month before so I don't think that will happen. Unless we just should up, have the team just walk out onto to field and pretend there's a mix up.

States played in both the 2007 Gold Cup and Copa America - sent two very different squads but still...

[BuzzAndSting]

Very true... Didn't think of sending two squads.

[Keegan]

The Confederation cup is kind of inconsequencial because it's an 8 team tournament taking each federation winner, the host of the following World Cup and the defending World Cup champion.

2014 World Cup/ Copa America Qualifiers 2015 Copa Americas 2016 Gold Cup/WCQ 2017 Confederations Cup/WCQ 2018 World Cup/Copa America Qualifiers

This cycle works only if the Gold Cup and Copa America go to once every four years and the Gold Cup is moved to the winter. Same conclusions I made but both unlikely IMO.

Why would the gold cup have to go to the winter if only WCQs are in 2016? We play the Gold Cup during WCQs as it is

[Gian-Luca]

I think it would be a shame if we were to lose our regional championship, despite the fact that it is always unfairly played in the US. Playing in both would be fine - I'd rather have each continent with its own competition every four years and then a combined championship (based on the teams who did well in the previous championships in each continent) every four years, with the "Americas Cup" held the following year after the Gold Cup, leaving two years for a solid, proper lengthy World cup qualifying campagin in each continent.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

Will Warner's caribbean mafia go for this? They run the show and will have to be convinced that this is in their best interests. I don't see how it is.

[BuzzAndSting]

Why would the gold cup have to go to the winter if only WCQs are in 2016? We play the Gold Cup during WCQs as it is

If you look at previous experience this is what a four year cycle would look like if we started after the next World Cup, I believe that's the time frame that is being discussed.

January 2015 - Caribbean Nations Cup

February 2015 - UNCAF Nations Cup

June 2015 - CONCACAF Gold Cup

July 2015 - Copa America

October to November 2015 - CONEMBOL WCQ Round 1-4

February 2016 - CONCACAF WCQ Round 1

June 2016 - CONCACAF WCQ Round 2

June to October 2016 - CONEMBOL WCQ Round 5-10

August to November 2016 - CONCACAF WCQ Round 3

February to October 2017 - CONCACAF WCQ Round 4

March to October 2017 - CONEMBOL WCQ Round 11-18

June 2017 - Confederations Cup

It's definitely possible but it just seams unlikely to have both the Gold Cup and Copa America in the same summer during the MLS season. If the UNCAF Nations Cup was moved to January and the Gold Cup went back to a winter tournament and was played in February it would make more sense IMO. This gives one year dedicated solely to regional confarence championships, 2 years to WCQ and the Confederations Cup and one year to the World Cup.

[Free kick]

I really don't see any negatives to this at all. There would have to be a real qualifying process and it would give us a pretty good chance to play in a 2nd prestigious tournament besides the World Cup (Gold Cup has very little reputation or prestige). If we qualify we would have games against very good opposition and they would receive a lot of media coverage. There might be the odd bad result but overall I can't see anything negative from this. The Gold Cup could still be held in off years, possibly once every 4 years like a real continental championship.

With the new WCQ format proposal, this and the recent establishment of the Champions League, could CONCACAF actually be becoming an effective soccer organization?

Yes. The big advantage that Europe has over the rest of the world is that there are always international games of importance played every year. Just when the WC ended Euro qualifying starts and when the Euros end WC starts up.

Whereas in CONCACAF we have to contend ourselves with playing friendlies for three years until WCQ starts. This has been a huge hindrance to progress and improvement for a side like Canada. In the past 12 years we have played something like a handful of important games in a very narrow window of six to eight week and then nothing for the next 4 years. Friendlies are overrated and really dont mean much for team building because how can you expect any player to take a friendly seriously.

Anyways this is terrific news for Canada if it materializes. I had been hoping for this for a long time.

[Free kick]

I think it would be a shame if we were to lose our regional championship, despite the fact that it is always unfairly played in the US. Playing in both would be fine - I'd rather have each continent with its own competition every four years and then a combined championship (based on the teams who did well in the previous championships in each continent) every four years, with the "Americas Cup" held the following year after the Gold Cup, leaving two years for a solid, proper lengthy World cup qualifying campagin in each continent.

Problem with the Gold cup is that it has become pretty clear that too many sides don't put their best foot fwd. So it becomes a tournament akin to glorified friendlies therefore you never really know what you have or what you can do judging by the Gold cup results. Stephen Hart pretty much said so himself. A tournament with qualifiers for the Americas with prestige at stake would endure that a side like Canada gets to play important games and the valuable experience that comes with it.

You could also retain The gold cup as a qualifier for Copa America

[BuzzAndSting]

The propsed format has 6 CONCACAF teams joining the 10 teams South American teams in the CONEMBOL tournament. If the 6 CONCACAF teams were the top 6 teams from the previous Gold Cup it would give the tournament more cred. The minnows would still have a second cup to look forward too, and it would give the big fish more of a reason to compete in the Gold Cup.

[RJB]

Maybe the proposed adjustment to the WCQ schedule is the bone to the smaller nations in exchange for ditching the Gold Cup. That is if they get rid of the Gold Cup.

[Blackdude]

Here's how I see it if it works.

2012-13 WCQ and Copa Americas Qualifying: Top 6 CONCACAF make it to the 2015 Copa Americas.

2014: World Cup

2015: Copa Americas

2015-17. WCQ +CAQ (2019)

2016 Gold Cup/Copa Americas Qualifying: Top 6 CONCACAF teams make it to the Copa Americas (Maybe the Gold Cup format would change also)

2017 Copa Americas

2018 World Cup

I think it is too much how I see it. They can't play a cup every year. But I do see the Gold Cup being there less often.

[hamiltonfan]

^^ If that were ever the case, I’d presume to be dreaming. Let's not get to ahead of ourselves, qualifying twice in one decade for the proposed Copa Americas would be a mighty feat in my eye…add two World Cup and we’re officially a soccer power. This would be a massive improvement to the structuring of international football in North and Central America. Huge potential for this to blow up in the United States and Mexico, the USA market being especially attractive.. the bought up more World Cup ticket than any other nation.

I think we could see an end to the Gold Cup as we know it if this is approved. The tournament would have to be turned into Copa qualifiers. Would still be a competitive series of group stage place for our Maple Leafs, maybe even more competitive than the current GC since there is great reward.

ohhh ya... you forgot to pencil us in for the Confederation Cup. Let beat up on Ukraine now!!!