Before World Cup, MetLife Stadium is set to host Copa America this summer
Long before the World Cup comes to New Jersey, another well-known soccer tournament will be played here.
The Copa America, a championship involving South American and North American countries, is making its way to MetLife Stadium for three matches this June and July. Here is what to know if you are interested in attending this historic event.
The first MetLife match is between Argentina and Chile's national teams. The demand is high for this contest as it features Argentina, the 2022 World Cup winners, and one of the most talented and popular players in the world, the legend Lionel Messi. The game is slated for Tuesday, June 25 at 9 p.m.
The second game is between the national teams of Bolivia and Uruguay. The group stage match will start at 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 27.
The final contest at MetLife will be a semifinal match where the teams are yet to be determined. The semifinal is at 8 p.m. on July 9, and will decide who reaches the championship.
How to get Copa America tickets
Tickets for all three of these matches are available for purchase at the Copa America website through Ticketmaster. The prices on Ticketmaster vary, but the game featuring the defending World Cup Argentina and Messi are much more expensive than the other group stage match - ranging from $237 to over $1,500 a ticket.
The prices of the semifinal game in July range between $314 to over a $1,000.
This is the second time the United States is hosting the Copa America, and the first time since 2016. The last tournament took place in 2021 when Argentina defeated Brazil in the championship.
Who is the favorite?
A total of 16 teams have qualified this year and are placed into groups of four with two teams making it out of each group. Argentina is the favorite to win the tournament, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, followed by Brazil and Uruguay. The United States has the sixth best odds to win the championship.
MetLife is no stranger to hosting international tournaments as it is set to host the world's biggest sporting event in the summer of 2026, the World Cup final. The New Jersey stadium will also host seven other matches, five in the group stages, one in the round of 32 and one in the round of 16.
New Jersey officials prepare for the historic but maybe hectic days of summer 2026, but for now they will get a preview of the passionate international soccer fans with the Copa America.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Copa America comes to MetLife next month, what you need to know
