The final of next year’s Copa America will take place in Colombia, President Ivan Duque announced Thursday.
According to the president, the decision by by South American football federation Conmebol was confirmed by its president, Alejandro Dominguez.
The 2020 Copa America will be held in both Colombia and Argentina, but the final “will be held in Colombia, as has been one of the great longings of all of us,” said Duque.
President’s Office
The president thanked his Argentine counterpart, Mauricio Macri, for the effort to host next year’s football tournament between South American nations together.
Duque’s office said that “the South American Football Federation can we sure that we will do our best and will use all our professionalism and work into making the 2020 Copa America final a memorable event.”
The dual hosting is a novelty in the 103-year history of the Copa America.
Colombia hosted the Copa America for the first time in 2001. The decision to hold the final in Colombia, and not in Argentina “gives Colombia another reason for happiness.”
Where in Colombia the final will be held is still unknown. According to news agency Colprensa, the candidates are Bogota, Medellin, Cali and Barranquilla.
But Barranquilla Mayor Alejandro Char said on Twitter that Colombia’s football federation president Ramon Jesurun decided that the final will be held in the coastal city where Colombia’s national team has played most of its international games.
The announcement comes in the middle of this year’s tournament that is held in Brazil and a day before Colombia will meet Chile for the quarter final.
The national team finished a spotless first group round in which Los Cafeteros got nine out of nine points, defeating Argentina, Qatar and Paraguay.