BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Watch parties for the 2024 Copa América kick off at SteelStacks' SoccerFest celebration this weekend.
During the 48th Copa América — which runs Thursday, June 20, to July 14 — ArtsQuest will show each of the U.S. Men’s National team group stage games at the SteelStacks campus.
The first U.S. men's match will take place on Sunday, June 23.
This year's Copa América will be held at 14 stadiums across the United States.
Six guest nations from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, or CONCACAF, will battle it out with 10 South American teams for international football's oldest prize — Copa América, or America's Cup.
Copa América was first established in 1916 — 14 years before the World Cup and 44 years before the Euros began.
Copa teams, U.S. schedule
Four groups, consisting of four teams, make up the Group Stage, which means only two of the teams in each group can make it to the quarter-final stage.
Argentina (group A), Ecuador (group B) and Brazil (group D), are highest-ranked in their respective groups.
The U.S. men's national team, or UMMNT, is the second-ranked member of group C, and will play against Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia, to advance in the Copa.
The first game, which will be televised on a jumbo screen at Levitt Pavilion, starts at 6 p.m. Sunday against No. 1-ranked Bolivia.
That match will be followed by a game against Panama at 6 p.m. Thursday (also onscreen at Levitt Pavilion) and a third against Uruguay at 9 p.m. July 1 (televised at the PNC Plaza).
Soccer tournaments, kids classes
For young soccer fans, ArtsQuest has teamed up with the Lehigh Valley United FC United Soccer League to hold a youth clinic and 3-on-3 tournaments as part of its Copa celebration.
The first clinic starts at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in partnership with the Special Olympics.
Ages 6-12 with ID are invited to attend the classes hosted by Team Lehigh & Team Bethlehem Special Olympics. Admission is free.
Also Sunday, there will be a goalkeeping clinic at from 3 to 4 p.m. for players ages 7 to 11 and a soccer skills clinic at 4:15 p.m. for ages 6 -12.
A youth Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer-sanctioned tournament game for kids will occur on July 1 before the Copa match.
The deadline to register for the youth tournament is Monday.
Lineup
The lineup for SoccerFest’s viewing and event schedule is:
- 4 p.m. Sunday, June 23 — Lehigh Valley United Youth Clinics
- 6 p.m. Sunday, June 23 — Watch Party: U.S. Men’s National Team will take on Bolivia.
- 6 p.m. Thursday, June 27 — Watch Party — U.S. Men’s National Team will compete against Panama.
- 5 p.m. Monday, July 1 — Lehigh Valley United 3-on-3 Youth Tournaments
- 9 p.m. July 1 — Watch Party — U.S. Men’s National Team will take on Uruguay.
Go to www.steelstacks.com for more information.
