Copa America and EURO 2024 By the Numbers

By
Michail-Angelos Grigoropoulos
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With both of the 2024 Copa America and EURO tournaments coming to their conclusions this weekend, we take a look at the tale of the tape from each competition. 

The summer of international football is nearing the finish line, as Copa America and the EUROs conclude this weekend in Miami and Berlin, respectively. It has been an entertaining summer between the two competitions, with goals galore and the stars shining both young and old. From an eye test, the styles of the tournaments could not be more different, but what stories do the numbers tell?

Attendance and Ticket Prices

Both competitions are in some of the biggest stadiums across the world, but which competition filled more seats? The first six matches of Copa America did not do the biggest of numbers, with some matches having under 35,000 people in stadiums with capacities over 65,000.

While Argentina and Brazil were able to sell out stadiums, smaller nations like Ecuador and Peru played in front of noticeably paltry crowds. And even the hosts, the United States, had only 48,000 fans in their opener at AT&T stadium, which holds 80,000. However, as the tournament has progressed we’ve seen jam-packed stadiums, and the average Copa America attendance is 49,406 per game through the first 30 matches, compared to the EUROs’ 52,314 through 50 matches.

A likely reason for the slight albeit significant attendance discrepancy is ticket pricing. According to Forbes, the average EURO ticket has been priced at $100, while Copa America has that number nearly doubled at $187.

Tickets to the final in Miami have soared to over four-figure minimums, with some even going into the six figure range. If this is a taste of what we’ll get at the 2026 World Cup, something is going to need to change.

Viewership

Copa America not only lost in attendance, but also when it comes to average TV viewership. Through the quarterfinals of each tournament, the EUROs had averaged 1.5 million viewers in the United States, while Copa America averaged 1.2 million, both on the FOX networks. However, the quarterfinal viewership showed a much higher difference, with 3.6 million tuning in for the EUROs and 1.7 million for Copa America.

In the semifinals, the gap closed, with the EUROs averaging almost 3.2 million viewers, compared to 2.067 million for Copa America. Per FOX PR, records have been broken across both tournaments, which shows the growing appetite for soccer in the United States.

Goals

When looking at goals scored in the tournaments, there is not much difference when looking at the averages. The totals will be skewed more towards the EUROs due to more teams in the competition, but there is only a 0.11 margin. EURO matches average 2.28 goals per game, while Copa is at 2.17. Interesting how there has been a decrease in both tournaments from the previous installment. In 2021, the EUROs averaged 2.78 goals per match, while Copa averaged 2.32.

The EUROs have seen more long-range goals scored in the tournament, but Copa America has the only direct free kick goal between the two. Raphinha’s curling strike has so far been the only proof that the free kick isn’t dead this summer.

Extra Time/Penalty Shootouts

One thing the two tournaments share is the high number of matches that have gone beyond the 90 minutes. In the EUROs there have been five matches that have been to extra time, with three going to pens.

The Copa America spurned extra time and instead went straight to penalties if a match was tied at the end of regulation, which was the case in three of the four quarterfinals, while both semis were decided after 90 minutes. Confusingly enough, the final will use extra time before a penalty shootout.

Percentage wise, 50% of the Copa knockout games have gone to pens so far, while in the EUROs, 36% have gone to extra time and beyond. For the EUROs, this is a decrease from 2021, which had eight games go beyond the 90.

Young vs. Old

One of the key differences in storylines when looking at the competitions is that one has been regarded as a passing of the torch tournament, while the other still has the elders carrying said torch.

Spain’s Lamine Yamal broke the record for youngest-ever goalscorer at the EUROs with his wonder goal. Let us not forget him being the youngest to ever get an assist as well. With Türkiye, you had the emergence of Arda Güler stealing the show with his assists in the knockout stage at just 19. For the Three Lions in England, Kobbie Mainoo is bursting onto the scene with his spectacular midfield performances. The first round of matches in the EUROs saw five players 21 or younger score a goal.

Meanwhile in the Copa America, it has been the players of yesteryear still stealing the show. Colombia have reached the final off the back of James Rodriguez running it back to 2014. Copa America has five goal scorers 21 or younger with Kendry Paez being the youngest, just turning 17. It is only three less than the EUROs who have eight, but when comparing the performances between the youth at one tournament to the other it is night and day. The final for both tournaments represents this best. For the EUROs, the storyline will be Yamal, who will turn 17 the day before the final, vs. the just-turned 21-year-old Jude Bellingham, while Copa will be a 38-year-old Lionel Messi vs. a 32-year-old Rodriguez.

Discipline

One of the stereotypes given to Copa America is its rough nature, and that it is a foul fest of a tournament. While there is a case to be made that the football is rougher and harsher on players, the number of cards given does not reflect that. The Copa America averages 3.7 yellow cards per match, while the Euros is at 4.7. However, there have been more fouls and red cards per match in the Copa America, which might suggest the standard for a yellow is a bit higher in the CONMEBOL/CONCACAF tournament.

The Copa America had 26.17 fouls per match compared to the EUROs’ 22.4, and had eight total red cards to six in the EUROs, despite the Copa having played 20 fewer matches.

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