CONCACAF `committed` to staging Copa America in US

Washington: North American football`s governing body says it is moving ahead with plans for the centenary Copa America in 2016 after the US-led probe of corruption in football appeared to threaten the event.

"We are continuing to work with CONMEBOL, the US Soccer Federation and all other stakeholders on hosting the Copa America Centenario tournament in the United States," North American governing body CONCACAF said in a news release on Saturday.

"CONCACAF is committed to continue working with all parties to address the operational, format and financial issues relating to the tournament in order to ensure greater transparency to this event."

The statement comes one day after Juan Angel Napout, head of South American football governing body CONMEBOL, told a Paraguayan radio station that the Copa America Centenario was a go.

The event announced in May of 2014 is a unique edition of the South American championship first staged in 1916.

It is to be the first time the tournament has been staged outside of South America, and is to feature 10 teams from South America and half a dozen from North and Central America and The Caribbean.

However, the US Justice Department probe of corruption at world governing body FIFA had put the event in doubt, after officials of North American governing body CONCACAF and South American body CONMEBOL were among those indicted.

Executives from a marketing and media rights agency involved in the tournament were also accused.

CONCACAF said Saturday that officials will meet with their CONMEBOL counterparts next Thursday in Mexico City to iron out more details.