CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez has confirmed Brazil as hosts of 2019 Copa América ©Getty Images

Brazil will host the 2019 Copa América, President of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) Alejandro Dominguez has confirmed.

The football-mad nation had been expected to stage the tournament in three years’ time owing to an agreement with the Chilean Football Association (ANFP), drawn up in March 2012.

The deal was made between the two organisations as the CBF, which was facing tight deadlines and pressure to get venues for the 2013 Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup ready in time, thought it best if another nation held the 2015 Copa América.

Brazilian football’s governing body also admitted the fact Rio de Janeiro was hosting the 2016 Olympic Games had played a part in the decision to strike a deal with the ANFP.

Despite the agreement in place, no formal confirmation had been given that the competition would go to Brazil for the first time since 1989.

But 44-year-old Dominguez revealed the event would indeed be held in Brazil in an interview on CONMEBOL’s official website during the ongoing Copa América Centenario in the United States.

“They [the US] have been great hosts, just like Chile were last year and like Brazil will be in 2019,” said Dominguez, also a member of FIFA’s ruling Council.

“People are enjoying it, the football is making a great show, and hopefully the level of football grows and it reaches all the people.”

The news will be greeted with joy in Brazil as they have lifted the Copa América trophy every time they have hosted the event - in 1919, 1922, 1949 and 1989.

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Brazil last staged the Copa América in 1989 and have won every tournament they have hosted ©Getty Images

The tournament is usually rotated around the participating countries in alphabetical order.

The 2019 edition will feature the usual 12 teams, it has also been confirmed.

Sixteen are participating in the Centenario competition, held to mark the event’s 100-year anniversary, with additional teams coming from the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) region.

Since 1993, two teams from other Confederations, usually CONCACAF, are added to the 10 CONMEBOL members to make up the 12 sides for the tournament.

Amid the ongoing Centenario event, reports have surfaced in ESPN Deportes that CONMEBOL are considering hosting the Copa América in the United States permanently.

Other reports suggested a merger between the Copa América and CONCACAF’s Gold Cup could happen in future.

These claims were dismissed by FIFA Council member and US Soccer Federation head Sunil Gulati, though he hinted to goal.com that such discussions could take place but “nothing has happened to date”.