OMNISPORT

The Copa America Centenario is still set to take place next summer according to the United States Soccer Federation.

The tournament’s location in the U.S. was in a great deal of doubt for months after the initial FIFA probe saw the arrests of multiple officials involved with both CONCACAF and CONMEBOL. However, after an agreement was reached over rights distribution in October, the U.S. was officially made the host for the tournament, set for the summer of 2016.

Questions again arose after a second set of arrests occurred Thursday in Switzerland, which included the current CONCACAF president, Alfredo Hawit, and the current president of CONMEBOL, Juan Angel Napout, among others.

In a statement released Thursday, U.S. Soccer was quick to shoot down any possible doubt about the tournament this time around, citing the requirements the federation put on all parties involved to avoid corruption shielded it from the alleged actions of those arrested Thursday.

The statement read: “Today's events involving individual members of CONCACAF and CONMEBOL in no way pierce the integrity of the rigorous safeguards the United States Soccer Federation required before agreeing to host Copa America Centenario that ensure the tournament is organized and conducted in a way that is open, transparent and above reproach.”

In the statement, U.S. Soccer also notes the individuals arrested are not involved in the committee that governs the Copa Centenario, and “were never in a position to make decisions that would adversely impact” the standards established.

The Copa America Centenario will take place between June 3 and June 26 of 2016 and will feature the entirely of CONMEBOL and a select group of teams from CONCACAF. The venues which will host the games were announced in November.