Soccer is the worlds game! Every summer there are major international competitions played across the different levels of the game. This is where national teams will play for trophies and glory! This summer, there are four major competitions spanning the months of May, June and July!
International competitions are where players can play for the pride of their country. It also can magnify a player or nation that usually doesn’t get recognition. These competitions enthrall the world, and this summer we’ll see two different World Cup’s, the Copa America and the Gold Cup!
U-20 World Cup. May 23rd to June 15th
The U-20 World Cup is where the talented “next generation” of super stars rise to play for their countries. This tournament is notorious for showing who are going to be star players at the club and international level a few years from now. The youthful charisma of the players, coupled with opportunity to make a name for themselves, make this tournament a must watch.
Here are the country’s who are competing for the title of U-20 Champions this summer:
- Four Nations from the Asian region (AFC): Qatar, Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
- Four Nations from the African region (CAF): Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa and Mali.
- Four Nations from the Central and North American region (CONCACAF): Mexico, Panama, United States and Honduras.
- Four Nations from the South American region (CONMEBOL): Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador and Colombia.
- Two Nations from the Oceania region (OFC): New Zealand and Tahiti.
- Six Nations from the European region (UEFA): Poland (Host nation), Italy, Portugal, Ukraine, France and Norway
The games take place in Poland and begin Thursday May 23rd. We’ll be following this closely, along with a strong U-20 USA side who will be captained by the Philadelphia Union’s center back Mark McKenzie! You can catch all the action on the Fox network of TV stations and the Fox Sports Go app.
Women’s World Cup. June 7th to July 7th
The Women’s World Cup is always a great spectacle, showcasing the best female-footballers in the world doing what they do best! While it could easily be overlooked, this tournament provides life-long memorable moments for all people around the world!
Here’s who will be battling it out to become the champions of the world:
- Five Nations from the Asian region (AFC): Australia, China PR, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
- Three Nations from the African region (CAF): Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa.
- Three Nations from the Central and North American region (CONCACAF): Canada, Jamaica and United States (Title Holder).
- Three Nations from the South American region (CONMEBOL): Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
- One Nation from the Oceania region (OFC): New Zealand.
- Nine Nations from the European region (UEFA): England, France (Host nation), Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Spain and Sweden.
The first ball kicked in France for the 2019 Women’s World Cup will happen on June 7th. The USWNT are defending their title, looking for their unprecedented fourth World Cup title, as Julie Ertz and the rest of the squad look to conquer the world yet again! This amazing facet of the game of soccer will enthrall you all month long, so come along with us for that wild ride! Catch this action throughout the summer on the Fox network of TV stations and the Fox Sports Go app.
Copa America. June 14th to July 7th
One of the most star studded International Soccer Confederation is CONMEBOL, the South American Confederation. Every few years CONMEBOL teams with a few added quest nations, battle it out for the Copa America trophy. This means Messi, Neymar, James Rodriguez, Miguel Almiron and others will be on display to fight to be the champion of the Americas.
Here’s who are competing for this trophy this summer:
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil (Host nation)
- Chile (Title holders)
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Japan (invited team)
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Qatar (invited team)
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
This tournament runs on close to the exact same time frame as the Women’s World Cup, and the upcoming Gold Cup as well. This is where some of the best talent in the world get to put on for their countries down in Brazil; don’t miss out on this phenomenal competition! You can tune in to this on Telemundo, ESPN+ and Play Station View.
Gold Cup. June 15th to July 7th
The South American teams are battling it out for the Copa America, so to will the Central and North American teams battle it out for the Gold Cup. This competition is always highly competitive, but the cream often rises to the top with the US and Mexico labeled as favorites in the competition.
Here are the CONCACAF nations competing in this summer’s Gold Cup:
- United States (Title holders & Host nation).
- Trinidad and Tobago.
- Panama.
- Nicaragua.
- Mexico.
- Martinique.
- Jamaica.
- Honduras.
- Haiti.
- Guyana.
- El Salvador.
- Curaçao.
- Cuba.
- Costa Rica.
- Canada.
- Bermuda.
These nations have a shot at showing what they are made of, and winning a trophy for their nation. We’ll be following this tournament, especially the USMNT who look to get things back on track in their first major tournament after their failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. You can catch this action on the Fox network of TV stations and the Fox Sports Go app.
The Action starts now!
The summer’s action starts this Thursday as the U-20 World Cup kicks off! We at Philly Sports Network will be covering all four tournaments. We’ll have recaps of all the action, and also will take closer looks at the US sides involved in competitions! Be sure to tune in and come back to keep yourself up to date!
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Peace out Union fans!
Mandatory Credit: US Soccer, Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports, Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports and Gold Cup.
