Sixteen teams slated for 2019 Copa America in Brazil

The 2019 Copa America will consist of 16 teams under a measure approved Wednesday by soccer's governing body in South America (Nelson Antoine/AP)

SANTIAGO, Chile — The 2019 Copa America will consist of 16 teams under a measure approved Wednesday by soccer’s governing body in South America.

The field for the South American championship has traditionally been 12 teams, but that standard was broken last year with 16 teams playing in a 100-year anniversary edition in the United States. The additional teams came from the North and Central American and Caribbean region.

Brazil is the host country for 2019, when the expansion will make it easier to invite teams from other regions of the world.

Mexico has played in the Copa America since 1993.

The South American football confederation has only 10 members.

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