South America to mark centenary with US tournament

The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) will celebrate its centenary in 2016 with a 16-team tournament to be held in the United States, the body announced on Wednesday.

The tournament, called the Centenary Copa América, will also mark 100 years since the South American championship as it was formerly named was first played.

"In July 2016, the Conmebol will be a century old, so to celebrate it with the pomp it deserves, the presidents of the (national) associations and members of the Executive Committee decided to hold a tournament with teams from throughout the Americas," a statement said on the body's website (www.conmebol.com).

Conmebol said at the end of a meeting in Buenos Aires that the teams taking part would be its 10 member nations plus the United States and Mexico and four other teams from the Concacaf picked on their ranking in that region's Gold Cup.

Mexico, the United States, Costa Rica, Honduras and Japan have played at the Conmebol's Copa America as guest sides in the past.

The Copa America is the world's oldest active tournament since the demise of the British championship involving England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Uruguay, who beat Argentina in the inaugural final in 1916, are the current holders. They won a record 15th title last year in Argentina. Chile are due to hold the next tournament in 2015.