When people debate the greatest international football tournaments in the world, the conversation often starts with the FIFA World Cup or the UEFA European Championship.
But neither of those competitions existed when South American nations first gathered to settle continental supremacy on the pitch.
The Copa América, officially the CONMEBOL Copa América, predates them both. First staged in 1916 under the name the South American Football Championship, it is the oldest international continental football competition still running anywhere on earth.
Organised by CONMEBOL (Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol), South America’s governing football body, the tournament brings together the continent’s ten national teams: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Venezuela, competing for the most coveted prize in South American football.
Since 1993, CONMEBOL has also hosted nations from other confederations, most notably CONCACAF, turning the Copa América into a genuinely intercontinental showpiece.
The tournament’s longevity is matched only by the scale of its drama. Over 108 years of competition, it has produced legendary rivalries, unforgettable finals, and generational icons.
The Argentina–Uruguay–Brazil triumvirate has dominated the Copa América champions list from day one.
Uruguay were the first great dynasty, winning six titles before 1930. Argentina’s golden eras spanned the 1920s, the 1940s, and have continued into the 2020s.
Brazil, synonymous with flamboyant attacking football, produced their finest Copa América runs between 1997 and 2007.
As of 2024, the complete Copa América winners list spans 48 editions. Argentina lead all-time with 16 titles, becoming the sole record holders after edging ahead of Uruguay (15 titles) with their dramatic extra-time victory over Colombia at the 2024 Copa América in the United States.
Brazil sit third on 9 titles, with Chile (2), Colombia (1), Paraguay (2), Peru (2), and Bolivia (1) completing the roll of Copa América champions by country.
In this article, you will find the full Copa América winners table from 1916 to 2024, a breakdown of the most successful teams and players, the tournament’s rich history, key records and statistics, and answers to the most frequently asked questions about South American football’s greatest prize.
Copa América Winners: All Champions by Year (1916–2024)
The table below is the complete Copa América winners list by year, covering every edition from the inaugural 1916 South American Championship through to the 2024 final in Miami.
Note that from 1916 to 1967, the tournament used a round-robin format with no single final match; the champion was determined by the league standings.
A dedicated final was introduced in 1975. Final scores for the round-robin era reflect the decisive match or the overall format result, and are noted accordingly.
| Year | Host Country | Champion | Runner-Up | Final / Decisive Result |
| 1916 | Argentina | Uruguay | Argentina | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1917 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1919 | Brazil | Brazil | Uruguay | 2–0 (extra time) |
| 1920 | Chile | Uruguay | Argentina | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1921 | Argentina | Argentina | Brazil | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1922 | Brazil | Brazil | Paraguay | Round-robin (Brazil 1st) |
| 1923 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1924 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1925 | Argentina | Argentina | Brazil | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1926 | Chile | Uruguay | Argentina | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1927 | Peru | Argentina | Uruguay | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1929 | Argentina | Argentina | Paraguay | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1935 | Peru | Uruguay | Argentina | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1937 | Argentina | Argentina | Brazil | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1939 | Peru | Peru | Uruguay | Round-robin (Peru 1st) |
| 1941 | Chile | Argentina | Uruguay | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1942 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1945 | Chile | Argentina | Brazil | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1946 | Argentina | Argentina | Brazil | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1947 | Ecuador | Argentina | Paraguay | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1949 | Brazil | Brazil | Paraguay | Round-robin (Brazil 1st) |
| 1953 | Peru | Paraguay | Brazil | Round-robin (Paraguay 1st) |
| 1955 | Chile | Argentina | Chile | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1956 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Chile | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1957 | Peru | Argentina | Brazil | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1959 (ARG) | Argentina | Argentina | Brazil | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1959 (ECU) | Ecuador | Uruguay | Argentina | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1963 | Bolivia | Bolivia | Paraguay | Round-robin (Bolivia 1st) |
| 1967 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina | Round-robin (Uruguay 1st) |
| 1975 | Multiple (home & away) | Peru | Colombia | 3–1 agg. (home & away final) |
| 1979 | Multiple (home & away) | Paraguay | Chile | 3–0 agg. (home & away final) |
| 1983 | Multiple (home & away) | Uruguay | Brazil | 2–1 agg. (home & away final) |
| 1987 | Argentina | Uruguay | Chile | 1–0 |
| 1989 | Brazil | Brazil | Uruguay | Round-robin (Brazil 1st) |
| 1991 | Chile | Argentina | Brazil | Round-robin (Argentina 1st) |
| 1993 | Ecuador | Argentina | Mexico | 2–1 |
| 1995 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Brazil | 5–3 (pens, 1–1 aet) |
| 1997 | Bolivia | Brazil | Bolivia | 3–1 |
| 1999 | Paraguay | Brazil | Uruguay | 3–0 |
| 2001 | Colombia | Colombia | Mexico | 1–0 |
| 2004 | Peru | Brazil | Argentina | 4–2 (pens, 2–2 aet) |
| 2007 | Venezuela | Brazil | Argentina | 3–0 |
| 2011 | Argentina | Uruguay | Paraguay | 3–0 |
| 2015 | Chile | Chile | Argentina | 4–1 (pens, 0–0 aet) |
| 2016 | United States | Chile | Argentina | 4–2 (pens, 0–0 aet) |
| 2019 | Brazil | Brazil | Peru | 3–1 |
| 2021 | Brazil | Argentina | Brazil | 1–0 |
| 2024 | United States | Argentina | Colombia | 1–0 (aet) |
* 1959 was played in two separate editions: one in Argentina and one in Ecuador. Both are counted in the official record. Round-robin format editions had no single final match; positions were determined by points accumulated across all group matches. “aet” = after extra time; “pens” = penalty shootout.
Copa América Most Successful Teams: Who Has Won the Most Titles?
One of the defining features of the Copa América champions list is the extraordinary concentration of success among three nations.
Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil account for 40 of the 48 titles ever contested. Here is a detailed breakdown of the most successful Copa América teams of all time.
Argentina – 16 Copa América Titles
Argentina are the undisputed king of the Copa América, holding the record with 16 championship titles.
Their victories span more than a century: they dominated the late 1920s and the entire decade of the 1940s, winning three consecutive titles in 1945, 1946, and 1947 — a record that still stands.
After a long gap, they returned to Copa América glory in 1991 and 1993 under Alfio Basile. But their most meaningful wins came in the modern era.
In 2021, Lionel Messi finally lifted the Copa América trophy after seven attempts, defeating Brazil 1–0 in the final at the Maracanã in one of the most emotionally charged nights in Argentine football history.
Three years later, Argentina successfully defended the title at the 2024 Copa América in the United States, beating Colombia 1–0 through Lautaro Martínez’s goal in extra time.
With 16 titles, Argentina are the sole leaders in Copa América history — one ahead of Uruguay.
Argentina’s Copa América title years: 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993, 2021, 2024
Uruguay – 15 Copa América Titles
Uruguay’s Copa América record is a monument to the dominance of a small nation that punched far above its weight for decades.
The Celeste were the original Copa América powerhouse, winning six of the first eight editions and establishing themselves as the finest footballing nation on earth before the World Cup even existed.
Their 1916 triumph in the inaugural tournament set the tone for a dynasty that would persist well into the 1990s.
Uruguay’s last Copa América title came in 2011, when they thrashed Paraguay 3–0 in the final in Argentina, a victory that featured Luis Suárez at his predatory best.
They have not won the tournament since, and Argentina’s 2024 victory officially displaced Uruguay from the all-time summit for the first time.
Uruguay’s Copa América title years: 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011
Brazil – 9 Copa América Titles
Brazil are the third most successful nation in Copa América history with 9 titles, though their record is somewhat surprising given their global reputation as football’s most celebrated nation.
The Seleção won their first title in 1919 and their most recent in 2019, when goals from Everton and Gabriel Jesus helped them dismantle Peru 3–1 in the final at the Maracanã.
Brazil’s golden Copa América era was the late 1990s and 2000s, when they won four titles in just over a decade (1997, 1999, 2004, 2007).
Yet the trophy has remained out of reach since 2019, and the hurt of losing the 2021 final to Argentina on home soil at the Maracanã remains a wound in Brazilian football’s psyche.
Brazil’s Copa América title years: 1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2019
Other Copa América Champions
Paraguay have won the Copa América twice (1953, 1979), both in the tournament’s less publicised eras, though their 2011 run to the final confirmed they remain a competitive force.
Peru have also won twice (1939, 1975), with the 1975 title particularly notable as the first Copa América trophy under the new tournament name.
Chile claimed back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016 — a remarkable achievement made possible by their celebrated generation featuring Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sánchez.
Colombia won their sole Copa América title in 2001 on home soil, defeating Mexico in the final. Bolivia won the tournament just once, in 1963, also on home soil.
Copa América Winners by Country: Full Breakdown
Eight of CONMEBOL’s ten member nations have won the Copa América at least once. Only Ecuador and Venezuela have never lifted the trophy. Below is the complete grouping of Copa América winners by nation.
| Country | Titles | Years Won |
| Argentina | 16 | 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993, 2021, 2024 |
| Uruguay | 15 | 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011 |
| Brazil | 9 | 1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2019 |
| Paraguay | 2 | 1953, 1979 |
| Peru | 2 | 1939, 1975 |
| Chile | 2 | 2015, 2016 |
| Bolivia | 1 | 1963 |
| Colombia | 1 | 2001 |
| Ecuador | 0 | — |
| Venezuela | 0 | — |
Copa América History: From the South American Championship to the Modern Era
The Birth of International Football: 1916
The Copa América did not arrive as a carefully planned initiative. It emerged from a centenary celebration.
Argentina organised the first South American Football Championship in July 1916 to commemorate 100 years of Argentine independence. Four nations participated: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay.
CONMEBOL itself was founded during the tournament, on 9 July 1916. Uruguay won the inaugural title in contentious circumstances.
The decisive match against Argentina was suspended after crowd riots and completed the following day, ending goalless, with Uruguay claiming the title on points.
In these early decades, the tournament was held irregularly — sometimes annually, sometimes with gaps of several years.
The format was always a round-robin, with the top nation at the end of the round crowned champion. There was no knockout stage, no final, no penalty shootout. The standings decided everything.
Uruguay and Argentina’s Golden Age: 1917–1950
The inter-war period was defined almost entirely by Uruguay and Argentina. Uruguay won six of the first eight editions, a level of dominance unmatched in Copa América history.
Their success reflected a nation that took football extraordinarily seriously in the early 20th century, producing world-class players across every position.
Argentina were close behind, regularly finishing as runners-up before breaking through with a dominant run of their own in the 1920s and 1940s.
Brazil struggled to match their neighbours in this era, winning just three titles before 1950 despite the talent within their domestic game.
The foundation of their modern football identity, the flair, the attacking verve, had not yet fully crystallised at the international level.
Tournament Reinvention: The 1975 Rebrand
After the 1967 edition, the South American Championship went on an eight-year hiatus. When it returned in 1975, it came back transformed.
The tournament was officially renamed the Copa América, a new format was introduced using home-and-away matches across all 10 CONMEBOL nations, and the era of a dedicated final was born.
Peru won the first Copa América in 1975, defeating Colombia across two legs. Paraguay lifted the 1979 trophy. Uruguay won in 1983, again over two legs.
From 1987, the tournament moved to a single-host format with a traditional final match. This structure brought Copa América closer to what football fans know today and raised the tournament’s profile significantly.
Expansion and the Guest Nation Era: 1993–Present
Starting with the 1993 Copa América in Ecuador, CONMEBOL began inviting teams from other confederations to participate.
Mexico and the United States were the first guests, with Mexico reaching the final that year before losing to Argentina 2–1.
This expansion added new storylines and a broader competitive base to the Copa América.
Mexico have been the most regular guest, appearing in finals in both 1993 and 2001, but no non-CONMEBOL nation has ever won the tournament.
The 2016 Copa América Centenario, held in the United States to mark 100 years of the competition, expanded the field to 16 teams with six CONCACAF entrants.
This expanded format returned in 2024, again hosted in the United States, where Argentina claimed their 16th title.
The Copa América has now been held twice on US soil — the only non-CONMEBOL country to host the tournament.
Copa América Records and Statistics
Most Copa América Titles
Argentina hold the all-time record with 16 Copa América titles, edging ahead of Uruguay (15) following the 2024 victory. Brazil are a distant third with 9 titles. No other nation has won the tournament more than twice.
Most Copa América Finals Appearances
Argentina have appeared in the most finals in Copa América history, having competed in approximately 29 final-stage contests across all formats.
Their record of 16 wins and multiple runner-up finishes underlines their sustained consistency across every era of the competition.
All-Time Top Scorers
The Copa América’s all-time scoring records belong to players from a different era.
Argentina’s Norberto Méndez and Brazil’s Zizinho share the all-time record with 17 goals each, both achieved in the 1940s and early 1950s.
Among modern players, Lionel Messi has scored 14 Copa América goals across seven tournaments, making him the highest-scoring active player in the competition’s history.
Lautaro Martínez was the top scorer at the 2024 Copa América with 5 goals.
Consecutive Titles
Argentina’s three consecutive Copa América wins in 1945, 1946, and 1947 remain the longest winning streak in the tournament’s history.
In the modern era, Argentina’s back-to-back victories in 2021 and 2024 make them the first team to win consecutive editions since Uruguay achieved the same feat in 1983 and 1987.
Host Nation Record
Argentina have hosted the Copa América more than any other nation, having staged nine editions including the inaugural 1916 tournament.
The United States are the only non-CONMEBOL host, having staged both the 2016 Centenario and the 2024 tournament.
Nations That Have Never Won
Ecuador and Venezuela are the only CONMEBOL members yet to win the Copa América. Ecuador is notably the nation with the most tournament appearances (30) without a title.
Venezuela, meanwhile, have historically been the weakest of the CONMEBOL nations at the continental level.
Lionel Messi’s Copa América Legacy
Few stories in Copa América history rival the narrative arc of Lionel Messi’s journey with Argentina.
Across seven tournaments from 2004 to 2024, Messi endured five final defeats before finally winning the trophy in 2021 — a defining moment in his career that many believe completed his claim to being the greatest footballer of all time.
His second Copa América title came in 2024, cementing a legacy of back-to-back triumphs in the twilight of an extraordinary international career.
Explore More Football Winners Lists
Interested in the full history of other major football championships? Read our related guides:
- FIFA World Cup Winners List: All Champions by Year
- UEFA Euro Winners List: All Champions from 1960 to 2024
- Copa Libertadores Winners List: All Champions by Year
- Ballon d’Or Winners List: Every Award Since 1956
Copa América FAQs: Your Most Common Questions Answered
Who won Copa América 2024?
Argentina won the 2024 Copa América, defeating Colombia 1–0 in extra time at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on 14 July 2024. Lautaro Martínez scored the winner in the 112th minute. It was Argentina’s 16th Copa América title and their second in a row, following their 2021 triumph.
Which country has the most Copa América titles?
Argentina hold the all-time record with 16 Copa América titles. Uruguay are second with 15 titles. Brazil are third with 9. Argentina became the sole record holders after their 2024 victory, having been level with Uruguay at 15 titles before the tournament.
When was the first Copa América?
The first Copa América — then called the South American Football Championship — was held in Argentina in 1916, organised to mark the centenary of Argentine independence. Uruguay won the inaugural edition, and CONMEBOL was officially founded during the tournament on 9 July 1916.
How often is Copa América played?
Copa América is currently held every four years. The tournament had an irregular schedule in its early decades but settled into a four-year cycle from 2007. The 2021 edition was a one-year delay from the planned 2020 staging due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Has Colombia ever won Copa América?
Yes. Colombia won the Copa América once, in 2001, on home soil. They defeated Mexico 1–0 in the final, with Iván Córdoba scoring the only goal. Colombia came close to a second title in 2024 but lost to Argentina 1–0 in extra time.
How many times has Brazil won Copa América?
Brazil have won the Copa América 9 times, in 1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007, and 2019. Their most recent title came in 2019 when they defeated Peru 3–1 in the final at the Maracanã.
Who is the all-time top scorer in Copa América history?
Argentina’s Norberto Méndez and Brazil’s Zizinho share the all-time Copa América scoring record with 17 goals each, both achieved during the 1940s and early 1950s. Among modern players, Lionel Messi leads with 14 Copa América goals across seven tournaments.
Has the Copa América ever been held outside South America?
Yes — the United States has hosted the Copa América twice. The Copa América Centenario in 2016 was held across multiple US cities and expanded the field to 16 teams. The 2024 edition was also hosted in the United States, again with 16 teams. The US is the only non-CONMEBOL country to have hosted the tournament.
When did the tournament become Copa América?
The tournament was officially renamed from the South American Football Championship to Copa América in 1975, when the competition was relaunched after an eight-year absence. Peru won the first Copa América that year.
Has Lionel Messi won Copa América?
Yes. Lionel Messi won the Copa América twice with Argentina — in 2021, defeating Brazil 1–0 in the final at the Maracanã, and in 2024, defeating Colombia 1–0 in extra time in Miami. Messi has scored 14 goals in total across all his Copa América appearances over seven tournaments.
Which teams have never won Copa América?
Ecuador and Venezuela are the only two CONMEBOL member nations that have never won the Copa América. Ecuador hold the record for most tournament appearances (approximately 30) without a title. No non-CONMEBOL guest nation has ever won the tournament.
How many teams participate in Copa América?
The modern Copa América features 16 teams — all 10 CONMEBOL members plus six invited nations, typically from CONCACAF. Earlier editions featured fewer teams, with just four nations competing in the inaugural 1916 tournament.
Has Mexico ever won Copa América?
No. Mexico have never won the Copa América. As the most frequent and successful CONCACAF guest, they reached the final twice — in 1993 (losing to Argentina 2–1) and in 2001 (losing to Colombia 1–0) — but have never lifted the trophy.
What is the Copa América trophy made of?
The Copa América trophy was crafted between 1916 and 1917 by Casa Escasany, a renowned jewellery house in Buenos Aires. It is one of the oldest sports trophies still in active use anywhere in the world, making it as historically significant as the tournament itself.
The Copa América’s Enduring Legacy
The Copa América is not merely a football tournament. It is a living archive of over a century of South American football history, of nations rising and falling, of dynasties forming and breaking, of individual brilliance and collective will.
From Uruguay’s inaugural triumph in 1916 to Argentina’s extra-time heroics at Hard Rock Stadium in 2024, the competition has served as South America’s most prestigious footballing stage and the proving ground for many of the greatest players the world has ever seen.
The Copa América winners list tells the story of the continent’s football soul. Argentina’s 16 titles reflect a nation whose passion for the game is rivalled only by their historical rivals.
Uruguay’s 15 titles, spread across more than a century, speak to a punching-above-its-weight tradition that made a small nation one of the founding pillars of international football.
Brazil’s 9 titles are the product of an unmatched footballing culture that has produced more World Cup winners than any other nation.
With the Copa América now settled into a quadrennial format and expanding its global reach through US hosting rights, the tournament’s profile has never been higher.
The CONMEBOL Copa América is more than the oldest continental championship — it is one of the most important football competitions on earth, and its champions list remains one of the game’s most coveted honours.
Bookmark this page for the most up-to-date Copa América champions list as future editions are decided. Whether you are researching Copa América history, tracking Copa América records, or simply settling a debate about who has won the most South American titles, this is your definitive reference.
