Both Mexico and the United States are sitting out next year’s Copa America in Brazil.
Copa America, which runs from June 14 to July 7, 2019, will feature Japan and Qatar, but no teams from North America.
Mexico and the United States are frequent invitees, but they are playing the Copa Oro instead.
The Copa America tournament has had guest sides in every tournament since 1993. Japan and Qatar were invited to make up a 12-nation tournament because of the close links between South America body CONMEBOL and the Asian Football Confederation.
Japan played in the 1999 Copa America. Qatar, which will make its Copa debut, is the host of the 2022 World Cup.
CONMEBOL initially considered a 16-team competition that could include Spain and Portugal.
Brazil was supposed to host the 2015 Copa but swapped its organization rights with Chile, which won the trophy that year.
The next Copa America is expected to be the last before it switches to the same year as UEFA’s European Championship.
Robert Harrison, leader of Paraguayan soccer, said that the governing body of football in South America has given its support for Mexico, the United States and Canada to jointly organize the World Cup in 2026.
Source: Sports Illustrated, AFP
