Copa America 2024

Abstract

The legacy of mega events is a matter of debate in the field of sports studies. Football’s Copa America 2024 tournament raised several issues, which were raised in post-match interviews given by Uruguay’s outspoken coach, the Argentinian Marcelo Bielsa. In one he lamented the conservative and stifling way the game is played currently. He warned that business interests were only concerned with the numbers of spectators which is on the rise but would not continue to do so if the way football is played loses the excitement that made it popular in the first place. In another interview he castigated the tournament’s poor organization which included poor playing surfaces and inadequate crowd control and he went on to chastize CONMEBOL, the South American Football Federation for pretending that all was well and also trying to suppress any criticism. Copa America 2024, organized by CONMEBOL and hosted by the United States was seen as a test run for an even bigger mega event, the 2026 World Cup which will be played mostly in the United States. It is hoped that with FIFA rather than CONMEBOL in charge the organizational problems will be smoother over. Yet it remains to be seen whether the style of football played will reflect Marcelo Bielsa’s assessment.