Hosts USA among top seeds for 2016 Copa America

The United States will kick off next year’s Copa America on June 3 after the host nation were confirmed as one of the top seeds for the tournament.

USA have been placed in Group A and will begin their campaign at Levi’s Stadium – a venue which is less than two year’s old – in Santa Clara, California, although they do not yet know who they will face on the event’s opening night.

Argentina, Brazil and Mexico are the other top seeds for an expanded 16-team tournament that will be made up of 10 nations from South America and a further six from the CONCACAF region.

The seedings announcement means current holders Chile – who lifted the trophy in 2015 on home soil – have been overlooked to head one of the groups.

The Copa America is normally staged every four years, but organisers have decided to go with back-to-back editions as 2016 marks the competition’s 100th anniversary.

It was also confirmed that Metlife Stadium in New Jersey, home to NFL sides the New York Giants and New York Jets, will be the venue for the final on June 26.