Argentina and Lionel Messi to play 2 warm-up matches in US ahead of Copa America
Copa America: Argentina, the defending champions of Copa America, are set to play two warm-up matches in the United States ahead of the tournament.
In Short
- Argentina to play warm-up matches against Ecuador and Guatemala
- Argentina's warm up matches to take place in the US next month
- Argentina will face Ecuador at Soldier Field in Chicago on June 9
Defending champion Argentina will prepare for the upcoming Copa América tournament by playing warm-up matches against Ecuador and Guatemala next month in the United States. According to the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Lionel Messi and his teammates will face Ecuador at Soldier Field in Chicago on June 9. Five days later, they will play Guatemala at Commanders Field in Landover, Maryland.
These matches will be Argentina's final warm-ups before opening their Copa América campaign on June 20 against Canada in Atlanta. Coach Lionel Scaloni must submit his final 26-man roster for the tournament by June 12. Scaloni is expected to select most of the players who secured Argentina's third World Cup title in Qatar in 2022. Argentina will compete in Group A, which also includes Chile and Peru.
Copa America 2024 expands squad size
CONMEBOL, the confederation organizing the Copa América, announced on Thursday that the squad size for the tournament, which will be held from June 20 to July 14, has been increased from 23 to 26 players. "Regarding the number of players on the roster, the decision is that each team may register up to a maximum of 26 players in the competition (on the roster), maintaining a total of 50 individuals in the delegation covered by the event's organization (accommodation, meals, transportation, etc., according to the financial regime and prize structure outlined in Chapter 17 of the Competition Regulations)," CONMEBOL said in a statement.
"All players (up to 26 players) must be included in the Provisional List submitted by May 5, 2024 (6:00 p.m. Paraguay time), according to Article 58 of the Regulations." The representatives of CONMEBOL, the organiser of the tournament, agreed on the decision at the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, treading the path of squad expansion in the European Championship.
Copa America, started in 1916, is the oldest operational continental tournament in the world and has determined the champions of South America over the years. Last year, however, CONCACAF, the football governing body of North America, combined with CONMEBOL, to host the tournament together.