Why Copa America is failing to grab the crowds this year

COVID, politicisation and the European Champions have worn the gloss off the world’s oldest football tournament.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil – Diego Santos squints up at a muted TV screen in the popular Belo Horizonte bar-restaurant he is a manager at. Santos is talking about the lack of interest in this year’s Copa America – football’s oldest tournament – while hosts Brazil are taking on Peru. Suddenly, Brazil appear to have scored. Santos looks around for confirmation, but few, if any, of the smattering of patrons are paying the match any attention, let alone celebrating.