his isn’t the first time that South America’s top international tournament left the friendly confines of the continent. In 2016, to celebrate the 100th year of the competition the event was held in the United States with Chile narrowly defeating Argentina 4-2 in penalties to claim top honors. While there are some similarities to that year’s competition, much has changed in eight years. Whereas the previous edition was more or less a standalone tournament, this year’s Copa America will be in the United States for one specific reason: to prepare teams for the World Cup. With Canada, Mexico, and the United States hosting in 2026 and with
