SAO PAULO: Hosts Brazil will open the Copa America with a game against Venezuela in the capital Brasilia’s Mane Garrincha stadium on June 13 while the final will be played at the historic Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on July 10, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said on Wednesday.

The decider of the South American championship will be the only match of the tournament at the Maracana, which also hosted the final two years ago when Brazil beat Peru 3-1 to win their ninth title.

The tournament, held over from last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was shifted to Brazil on Monday after original co-hosts Argentina and Colombia were replaced at the last minute. Argentina was dropped because of the spread of Covid-19 after Colombia was removed as a co-host on May 20 amid street protests against President Ivan Duque.

Many health experts criticised the move to bring Copa America to Brazil, where the death toll is currently at more than 465,000. Brazil saw almost 100,000 new Covid-19 cases reported on Wednesday along with more than 2,500 deaths, according to government data.

The format of the tournament, with two groups of five, was maintained. Group ‘A’ includes Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay. Group ‘B’ has Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru. The four best of each group advance to the knockout stage.

The semi-finals will be at the Nilton Santos stadium in Rio on July 5 and at the Mane Garrincha on the next day.

Quarter-finals will take place on July 2 at the Nilton Santos and Goiania’s Olimpico stadium, and July 3 at the same Olimpico stadium and Mane Garrincha.

Rio and Brasilia will host eight matches of the tournament each. Goiania will have seven games and Cuiaba, five, all in the group stage. Due to the pandemic, spectators will not be able to attend any Copa America matches.

Governors of the states of all host cities are allies of President Jair Bolsonaro, who is one of the main advocates for the event.

After the opener, Brazil will play against Peru and Colombia at the Nilton Santos stadium and finish their group-stage campaign against Ecuador in Goinia. If the hosts finish on the top in their group they could play all knockout stage matches in Rio.

Lionel Messi and Argentina will play their first match in the tournament against Chile at the Nilton Santos, clash with Uruguay and Paraguay in Brasilia, and finally face Bolivia in Cuiaba.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2021