Copa America 2019: Dates, Odds, TV Schedule and Tournament Predictions
June 12, 2019
The 2019 Copa America will kick off on Friday with hosts Brazil taking on Bolivia in Sao Paulo.
The tournament will run until the final on July 7.
Chile will be looking to win the competition for the third time running, while Brazil will be aiming to win it for the first time since 2007. Argentina, meanwhile, have not won it since 1993.
Japan and Qatar are the two invited participants taking part.
Read on for the full tournament schedule, viewing information and predictions.
Odds to win the tournament
- Brazil—6-5
- Argentina—15-4
- Uruguay—15-2
- Colombia—9-1
- Chile—14-1
- Peru—25-1
- Venezuela—40-1
- Paraguay—40-1
- Ecuador—50-1
- Japan—66-1
- Bolivia—100-1
- Qatar—150-1
Odds courtesy of Oddschecker
Schedule
Friday, June 14
Brazil vs. Bolivia: 9:30 p.m. local (8:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 a.m. BST Saturday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Saturday, June 15
Venezuela vs. Peru: 4 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Argentina vs. Colombia: 7 p.m. local (6 p.m. ET, 11 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Sunday, June 16
Paraguay vs. Qatar: 4 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Uruguay vs. Ecuador: 7 p.m. local (6 p.m. ET, 11 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Monday, June 17
Japan vs. Chile: 8 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET, 12 a.m. BST Tuesday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Tuesday, June 18
Bolivia vs. Peru: 6:30 p.m. local (5:30 p.m. ET, 10:30 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Brazil vs. Venezuela: 9:30 p.m. local (8:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 a.m. BST Wednesday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Wednesday, June 19
Colombia vs. Qatar: 6:30 p.m. local (5:30 p.m. ET, 10:30 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Argentina vs. Paraguay: 9:30 p.m. local (8:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 a.m. BST Thursday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Thursday, June 20
Uruguay vs. Japan: 8 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET, 12 a.m. BST Friday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Friday, June 21
Ecuador vs. Chile: 8 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET, 12 a.m. BST Saturday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Saturday, June 22
Peru vs. Brazil: 4 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Bolivia vs. Venezuela: 4 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. BST), Universo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Sunday, June 23
Qatar vs. Argentina: 4 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Colombia vs. Paraguay: 4 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. BST), Universo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Monday, June 24
Chile vs. Uruguay: 8 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET, 12 a.m. BST Tuesday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Ecuador vs. Japan: 8 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET, 12 a.m. BST Tuesday), Universo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Thursday, June 27
Quarter-final 1: 9:30 p.m. local (8:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 a.m. BST Friday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Friday, June 28
Quarter-final 2: 4 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Quarter-final 3: 8 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET, 12 a.m. BST Saturday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Saturday, June 29
Quarter-final 4: 4 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Tuesday, July 2
Semi-final 1: 9:30 p.m. local (8:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 a.m. BST Wednesday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Wednesday, July 3
Semi-final 2: 9:30 p.m. local (8:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 a.m. BST Thursday), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Saturday, July 6
Third-Place Play-off: 4 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. BST), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Sunday, July 7
Final: 5 p.m. local (4 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. ET), Telemundo (USA), Premier Sports (UK)
Live streaming will be available via Telemundo Deportes En Vivo and ESPN+ in the USA, and Premier Player in the UK.
Predictions
More Disappointment for Messi and Argentina
Given a team of Argentina's calibre will enter virtually every Copa America with the ambition of winning it, it's remarkable they've not managed to lift the trophy since 1993.
It's not for lack of trying, though. La Albiceleste have been in four of the last five Copa finals, but they've suffered defeat on every occasion.
When you add a defeat at the 2014 FIFA World Cup final into the mix, it makes for a disappointing time for Argentina in recent years, despite having arguably the best player of all time in their ranks in Lionel Messi.
Although the team have had plenty of firepower over the last decade thanks to the likes of Messi, Sergio Aguero and more, they've struggled to fill the rest of the squad with similar quality, or have not turned the side into a cohesive unit to make the most of their strengths.
Goal's Daniel Edwards was not overly impressed with Lionel Scaloni's squad for this year's tournament:
Nor was Argentinian football expert Roy Nemer, who has little confidence in Scaloni as a manager:
Per beIN Sports, Scaloni said ahead of the tournament: "If we have a good performance as a team and, in addition, Messi does what he does every Sunday, we will surely do well."
Too often in recent years, it has fallen to Messi to carry the team almost single-handedly, with his team-mates too reliant on him to bail them out.
Such is Messi's talent, he has played a major role in La Albiceleste getting to many finals in recent years, but their failure to win those showpiece games proves that even he has his limits.
Unless his team-mates can step up alongside him, it's difficult to imagine Argentina faring any better here than they have of late.
Chile Miss out on the 3-Peat
Chile had never won the Copa America prior to 2015, but they're now the two-time defending champions after winning it that year and in 2016.
On both occasions, they beat Argentina on penalties in the final after 0-0 draws over 120 minutes.
La Roja had a team packed with talent, with Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal—then at Arsenal and Barcelona, respectively—in their prime.
Chile will turn to the pair again this year, as well as four other players with more than 100 caps apiece, so there's no shortage of experience there.
However, they now have an ageing squad of players, many of whom are past their best. Of their 20 outfield players, eight are 30 or older, and their youngest—Al Ahli's Paulo Diaz—will turn 25 in August.
Vidal isn't quite the force he once was in midfield, while Sanchez has been in severe decline for around two years.
Football writer Richard Jolly put the forward's campaign with Manchester United in damning perspective:
Chile did not even qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, such has been their recent struggles.
They've not warmed up convincingly for the tournament, either. La Roja had to come from behind to beat Haiti 2-1 on June 6, while in their March friendlies they drew 1-1 with the USA and lost 2-1 to Mexico.
Chile's achievements in 2015 and 2016 were outstanding, but they have little chance of a repeat performance this year.