Todays guest blogger is Andy Ha.You can follow him on Twitter and check out his blog, The 12th Man. But for now, here’s his guide to the biggest sporting event in South America
This July, Argentina will be hosting the 43rd edition of the Copa America. This is the continental football tournament in South America, which along with the European Championships and the World Cup, is considered one of the major international football tournaments in the world.
So what makes Copa America the biggest sporting event in this part of the world? Well for starters, the whopping television audience of 530 million people in Latin America tuning in for the last tournament in 2007!
Check out the Copa America fixtures or, to brush up on this major sporting event, scroll down to the bottom for a guide
Groups & Fixtures
The groups were drawn on 11 November 2010 at the Teatro Argentina in La Plata.
Group A 
Group B 
Group C 
Check out the Copa America 2011 schedule. Times are listed as UTC-3.
GROUP A: Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Bolivia
1 July 21.45 Argentina v Bolivia – La Plata
2 July 15.30 Colombia v Costa Rica – Jujuy
6 July 21.45 Argentina v Colombia Santa Fe
7 July 09.15 Bolivia v Costa Rica – Jujuy
10 July 16.00 Colombia v Bolivia Santa Fe
11 July 21.45 Argentina v Costa Rica – Córdoba
GROUP B: Brazil, Paraguay, Ecuador, Venezuela
3 July 16.00 Brazil v Venezuela La Plata
3 July 18.30 Paraguay v Ecuador Santa Fe
9 July 16.00 Brazil v Paraguay – Córdoba
9 July 18.30 Venezuela v Ecuador – Salta
13 July 19.15 Paraguay v Venezuela – Salta
13 July 21.45 Brazil v Ecuador Córdoba
GROUP C: Uruguay, Chile, Mexico, Peru
4 July 19.15 Uruguay v Peru San Juan
4 July 21.45 Chile v Mexico – San Juan
8 July 19.15 Peru v Mexico – Mendoza
8 July 21.45 Uruguay v Chile – Mendoza
12 July 19.15 Chile v Peru Mendoza
12 July 21.45 Uruguay v México – La Plata
QUARTER FINALS
16 July 16.00 Winner of group A v Best 3rd – Córdoba (S1)
16 July 19.15 2nd group A v 2nd group C – Santa Fe (S2)
17 July 16.00 Winner group B – 2nd best 3rd – La Plata (S3)
17 July 19.15 Winner group C – 2nd group B – San Juan (S4)
SEMI FINALS
19 July 21.45 S1 vs S2 La Plata
20 July 21.45 S3 vs S4 Mendoza
THIRD PLACEMENT
23 July 16.00 La Plata
FINAL
24 July 16.00 Buenos Aires at Estadio Monumental
A little bit of history
The first international competition to be held between South American teams took place in 1910. However, there are also rumours that the competition was born in 1916 and named the South American Championship Selections. This tournament was contested by Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay who claimed the championship.
After sixty years of intermittent changes, additions and absences, the 1975 tournament finally took on the title of Copa America. Representatives in the tournament came from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru (champions) and Venezuela. During the next twenty years, the tournament took on further modifications, and it was not until the 1993 edition played in Ecuador, that the Americas Cup took its current format.
The Americas Cup today
Ten teams from CONMEBOL participate in the tournament and two teams from other continents are invited. The 12 teams are divided into three groups of four. The top two in each group and two best third placed teams progress to the second round. These eight teams then compete in a play-off system to determine the winner. The current holders are Brazil, defeating Argentina 3-0 in the 2007.
Copa America 2011
The two external nations taking part on this occasion will be Mexico and Costa Rica. The Mexican team will attend the tournament with their Olympic Under-23 side plus five reinforcements, while Costa Rica will replace the Japanese. Unfortunately the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March cast doubt on their ability to attend and sure enough, they withdrew their team on 16 May citing difficulties with European clubs in releasing Japanese players.
The 25 games will be held in the cities of La Plata, Cordoba, Santa Fe, San Juan, Mendoza, San Salvador de Jujuy and Salta, while the final will be played on 24 July at (Estadio Monumental) the Monumental Stadium of River Plate in Buenos Aires. The champions of the tournament will earn the optional right to compete in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup hosted by Brazil.
The opening ceremony will be held on 1 July at the Estadio Unico in La Plata, where the singer Diego Torres will perform the tournaments official song, ‘Creo en América’. The concert is sure to be a memorable way to kick start this fantastic event.
But for all you Copa America know-it-alls, let’s cut to the chase! To buy tickets for Copa America 2011, one of the best options is Ticketek which has lots of helpful information about buying Copa America tickets. If youve left it til the last minute, remember to book in advance next time!
Stadiums
The venues for the Copa America were confirmed on 1 June, 2010 and the stadiums in each of the cities were chosen on the basis of capacity, infrastructure and access. They are:
- Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires: Located in the neighbourhood of Belgrano, this stadium is home of the famous team River Plate. It is the largest football stadium capacity in Argentina (capacity for 64,000 spectators).
- Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata: Also known as Estadio Único, will host six games for the Copa America. It has a capacity of 53,000 of which 36,000 are seated.
- Estadio 23 de Agosto, San Salvador de Jujuy: Also known as Estadio La Tacita de Plata, it is the home of Club Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy, this stadium was named after “Jujuy Exodus, which is a very important event in the history of Argentina. It can accommodate up to 23,000 spectators.
- Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao López, Santa Fe: This stadium is home to Club Atlético Colón and at its inauguration in 1946, was originally named Eva Duarte de Peron Stadium. It is also known by its popular name of the ‘Cementerio de los Elefantes’. It has capacity for 33,000 fans.
- Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba: Known as Chateau Carreras, this stadium holds 57,000 people and it hosts games to up to four different clubs.
- Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta: Built specifically as one of the venues of the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, this stadium is currently used by several teams in the area. It has a capacity for 20,408 spectators.
- Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza: This stadium was built for the 1978 World Cup and has a 45,000 capacity. It is located in a special area at the foot of Cerro de la Gloria.
- Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, Sanchez de Loria, San Juan: This multipurpose stadium is mostly used for football matches and has a 25,000 capacity.
Did you know
- The joint favourites for the tournament are undoubtedly Argentina and Brazil. The two giants of world football are the two best teams in South America and are likely to be the forerunners competing for the trophy.
- Argentina and Uruguay have won the most Copa Americas. With 14 titles apiece, the ‘Albiceleste’ and ‘La Celeste Olímpica’ are the two most successful sides in the competitions history.
- In comparison, Brazil have only won the title a modest eight times, but having won four of the last five tournaments, the ‘Seleção’ will be a serious threat to everyone.
With so much at stake, we cannot wait until the action starts!
Accommodation for Copa America 2011
Copa America games will be held in eight different cities, so if you want to make the most of a sporting event of this magnitude and follow your team around the country on a tight budget, then let HostelBookers recommend the best cheap hostels in Argentina.
Buenos Aires
America del Sur Hostel Buenos Aires stands out from the crowd! A winner in our 2010 Awards for Excellence it is located in the San Telmo neighbourhood, 3 blocks from the Avenida 9 de Julio and near Puerto Madero, Plaza Dorrego and the Avenida de Mayo. They offer private twin, triple and quadruple rooms and shared rooms (all with private bath). The facilities are comfortable and include air-conditioning, bar, kitchen, lounge, parking, internet access, 24-hour reception and a restaurant. View all Buenos Aires hostels.
La Plata
Hostal del Bosque in the heart of La Planta, is near the pretty Bosque area. There are cultural attractions and tourist sights nearby as well as the National University, giving the place a nice bustling vibe with cafes and bars. The price includes breakfast. View all hostels in La Plata.
Santa Fe
Santa Fe Hostel is located in the city centre, near the bus station and within walking distance of bars and restaurants. The rooms are spacious and air-conditioning, and in addition the hostel has a courtyard with swimming pool and a very relaxed atmosphere. View all hostels in Santa Fe.
Mendoza
The Mendoza Backpackers Hostel is designed for budget travellers and offers 4 and 6-bed rooms, some with en suite. The hostel is just five blocks from the bus station and within walking distance to major attractions. The room rate includes breakfast, linen and towels. View all Mendoza hostels.
San Salvador de Jujuy
Club Hostel is located in the city centre near the bus station which makes it ideal for travellers. It offers double, triple, quadruple and shared rooms, with private bathrooms. The whole place will almost certainly be Copa America crazy and the hostel common room is a perfect place to meet travellers from around the world. View all Jujuy hostels.
Salta
In Salta, we recommend the lovely Bloomers Salta B&B which is located in a colonial house in the historic heart of the city, just three blocks from Plaza 9 de Julio. The house is very cosy and ensures relaxation and comfort. It has five rooms with private bathrooms. The décor combines Andean, colonial and modern styles. The rooms all have TVs and air-conditioning, but this B&B also offers laundry service, a bar, library, massages and hiking. View all Salta hostels.
Córdoba
Baluch Backpackers is one of the best rated hostels in Cordoba. As well as offering good facilities, this hostel also offers quality services. They provide both double and shared rooms (4 or 6-bed), all with patios and balconies. There is free internet, a fully equipped kitchen, TV room, dining room, swimming pool, bar and a lounge. Breakfast is also included in the price! View all Cordoba hostels.
San Juan
El Triasico Hostel is located in downtown San Juan and offers great hospitality. The facilities include a swimming pool, kitchen, internet, air-conditioning, laundry service, a bar and 24 hour reception. There are private or shared spacious rooms and the price includes bed linen, towels and breakfast. View all San Juan hostels.
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