Atlanta to host opening game, Miami gets the final for 2024 Copa América

Mercedes-Benz stadium is seen, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, in Atlanta. Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will host the opening game and South Florida's Hard Rock Stadium gets the final when Copa América returns to the United States in 2024. A joint announcement was made Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, by CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, the governing bodies of South American and North American soccer, respectively. Other sites and scheduling for the 16-team tournament will be revealed later.(AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)

Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was awarded the 2024 Copa América opener and South Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium will host the final of the tournament, held outside of its home continent for only the second time.

A joint announcement was made Monday by soccer’s governing bodies of South America and of North and Central America and the Caribbean. Other sites and the schedule for the 16-team tournament were not revealed.

The tournament is set to begin on June 20 at 71,000-seat Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United has set numerous attendance records. Defending Copa América champion Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will presumably be one of the teams taking part in the opener.