Copa America 2024 marks a return to the competition for CONCACAF nations, specifically the United States. America was not invited to the tournament for long stretches but is finally back as the host nation in this next soccer cycle. This is all part of the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico. Will the Americans be able to make an early statement at Copa America 2024 or will other teams spoil their party? Here’s a look at Group C and how we expect things to play out. All odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Uruguay (-135 to win group, -1600 to qualify for knockout round)
Luis Suarez headlines an experienced squad looking to build off an impressive start to its World Cup qualification campaign. Uruguay took out Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia in style last November before suffering a few shocking results this year. Uruguay did ease some concerns with a 4-0 win over Mexico recently. Suarez’s age is going to be a concern in terms of fitness, which means a lot of responsibility will fall on the likes of Darwin Nunez and Federico Valverde. If those two players can step up, Uruguay will be a tough out in this tournament.
United States (+140 to win group, -650 to qualify for knockout round)
Making the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup was a bare minimum for manager Gregg Berhalter, who is expected to deliver results with a rising squad in this tournament. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams headline this group, while Timothy Wean, Gio Reyna and Josh Sargent all possess good experience on the international stage. The Americans made a great run in the Gold Cup last summer and won the Nations League, but were quickly humbled in a 5-1 loss to Colombia followed by a 1-1 draw against Brazil. Can this team do something as the hosts to inspire their country ahead of a massive 2026 World Cup? Berhalter isn’t officially coaching for his job but the pressure is definitely on here.
Panama (+1600 to win group, +550 to qualify for knockout round)
This group has some experience with Anibal Godoy, Yoel Barcenas and Michael Amir Murillo, while Jose Fajardo is one of the more underrated strikers in the game. However, Panama enter Copa America 2024 in bad form with a 2-3 record in international matches this season. Those two wins were against far inferior opponents, while the losses came against teams closer to what Panama will see at Copa America. The penalty shootout win over USA at the Gold Cup seems so long ago, and Panama will need to get off to a good start to rebuild some confidence.
Bolivia (+1800 to win group, +550 to qualify for knockout round)
Similar to Panama, it’s been a rough 2024 international calendar for Bolivia with four losses in five matches. The lone win came against Andorra, a side that is nowhere near the level of competition Bolivia will see at Copa America. Starting out the group stage against the United States isn’t ideal either. This side doesn’t have much experience either, with Carlos Lampe, Rodrigo Ramallo and Jose Sagredo possessing the most caps. All have played less than 60 international matches, which means this is an uphill climb for Bolivia.