Copa America 2024: A tough test for the United States before the World Cup on home soil

The South American tournament is scheduled to be held in North America in 2024. For the host United States, the Copa America is a dress rehearsal for the World Cup on home soil two years later – and for national coach Gregg Berhalter, it is about his job.

From a purely theoretical standpoint, the United States still has nearly two years to go. Two years to get used to it, create anticipation in the country, and gain self-confidence. Because the next World Cup will not start until June 11, 2026.

However, in practice, the Copa America, which begins on Friday evening (June 21, 2024, 2 a.m. German time) with a match between defending champions Argentina and Canada, is effectively a World Cup dress rehearsal for the United States.

USA: 1:5 slap against Colombia

As co-hosts, the Americans, as well as Canada and Mexico, already qualify for the big event in about 24 months. So there will still be plenty of test matches, but matches under tournament conditions against opponents such as world champions Argentina, Brazil or Colombia and Uruguay will not be played again until 2026.

For this reason, defender Chris Richards sees the South American Championship, which was held in the United States of America in 2016, as a championship “An opportunity to show before the World Cup that we are something to be afraid of.”. However, the appearance of the United States in the preparations was not scary at all. Quite the opposite. Against Colombia, for example, it was a 1:5 slap in the face in Washington D.C. in front of 55,494 spectators.

Gregg Berhalter believes his team is “ready for Copa America”

Former national player Alexi Lalas gave the team one “A shameful, embarrassing and unacceptable performance”. He has it “Efficiency, direction and all self-confidence.” “We missed it,” says Lalas, who has worked as a television expert for many years. And this isn't the first time people have wondered out loud whether Gregg Berhalter is still the right person for the national coach's job?

The former Energie Cottbus and Munich 1860 professional managed to make things easier a few days later with a 1-1 draw with Brazil. Berhalter talked about 'Positive step'from “Paid” He confirmed that his team “Ready for Copa America” He is.

Where does the United States really stand?

In the FIFA world rankings, the United States is ranked 11th, ahead of Colombia (12), Uruguay (15) and Germany (16). The next three and a half weeks will show the actual value of this demand.

“Is the United States a leading soccer nation, as US Soccer likes to claim? Or is it just a nation that pretends to be the best but falters in the face of top-tier competition?”He Said “Los Angeles Times” Before the start of the tournament.

Between beautiful beaches and hot desert sand

The Copa America will feature 32 matches over 25 days in 14 stadiums – the tournament will be in three different time zones, with long distances (4,500 kilometers from New York to Los Angeles) and climate challenges. The matches are held not only in Los Angeles, where beautiful beaches are only a few kilometers from SOF Stadium, but also in the deserts of Arizona (Glendale) and Nevada (Las Vegas), as well as in Texas, which is very hot. At this time of year Florida is subtropical.

Due to outdoor conditions, games will not begin until the late afternoon or evening, and will be held in indoor arenas in Las Vegas and Glendale. Other stadiums (Houston, Arlington, Atlanta) have the option to close the roof. Eight of the 14 current stadiums will also be World Cup venues in 2026.

The quarterfinals are mandatory for the United States

America's competitors in the preliminary round in Group Three are Bolivia, Panama and Uruguay. Reaching the quarter-finals is mandatory. But in the quarter-finals, the United States might actually face world-record holder Brazil or the Colombians, who are unbeaten in 23 matches. “We want to earn the respect of the rest of the world.”Capt. Tyler Adams said on the podcast “Men in suits.”.

But to do so, the Americans must finally defeat a recognized opponent in a major tournament. The last time they achieved this was in the 2002 World Cup when they beat Portugal 3-2 in the preliminary round, then reached the quarter-finals. There the match against Germany ended (0-1).

23 National player Under contract in Europe

At the time, American National players like Berhalter were still unique in European leagues. 23 of the 26 professionals from his squad are now under contract in Europe – some, like Christian Pulisic (12 goals for Milan last season), even in key roles at top clubs.

That amount of quality should now also be evident in the Copa America – and especially in the World Cup two years later. When the United States hosted the World Series for the first time in 1994, there wasn't even a national professional league. Major League Soccer began operations just two years later.

Bringing football out of the shadows of the NFL and NBA

The 2026 tournament aims to entrench the world's most famous and popular sport in the world's most successful sporting nation, knocking soccer out of its perch – and the huge shadow of the National Football League and NBA.

Or at least create such euphoria that future generations of children and young adults would rather run after a football than catch a basketball or wear a football helmet.

The countdown to the World Cup begins now. With Copa America. For the United States, this is the most important tournament since 1994, and perhaps the last for coach Gregg Berhalter.