2019 Copa America, from Saturday 15 June, Premier Sports 1 HD (CH 551) + Premier Sports 2 HD (CH 552)

The domestic club campaign may be over, but international football fever rumbles on throughout June and July this year.

While England’s Lionesses fight for the Women’s World Cup in France, 12 nations in the men’s game plan to joga bonito their way to success some 5,000 miles across the Atlantic as Brazil host the 2019 Copa America.

Whether it’s Lionel Messi battling it out for an honour he’s never won before or the hosts looking to lift the trophy on home soil for the first time since 1989, this coveted competition is set to deliver big entertainment this summer.

But that’s just scratching the surface of the 2019 edition of this iconic tournament. Read on to find out more about what to expect as we answer the big questions.

So… What is the Copa America?

Think of as South America’s version of the Euros. The usual tournament format applies, with three groups of four teams competing to progress to the knockout stages. The top two in each group qualify for the first knockout stage alongside the two highest-scoring third-placed teams. Simple.

Now, according to the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) president Alejandro Dominguez, the showpiece will be “a passionate competition in which anyone can win the title”, so we can all rest easy knowing there is no guaranteed victor. However, Uruguay boast the greatest success to date, with 15 wins in total – just one more than Argentina, who have appeared in a record 28 finals.

How can I watch it?

In one place and one place only – Premier Sports. For the price of a pie and a pint each month (£9.99) you can catch all 26 games from the tournament, which kicks off with Brazil against Bolivia on Friday 14 June and ends with the final at Rio’s magnificent Maracanã Stadium on Sunday 7 July.

And the 2019 Copa America isn’t all you can enjoy on Premier Sports. In addition to football from Serie A, La Liga and the Scottish Cup, subscribers can also get stuck into all 152 games from the Pro14, plus  loads of NHL, NASCAR and GAA. Oof.

Which teams are taking part?

All ten CONMEBOL members are involved, with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia and back-to-back champs Chile regarded as the pre-tournament favourites. Venezuela and Ecuador remain the only members to have not tasted glory, while Peru and Bolivia have each secured the trophy on home soil – a feat achieved at 21 of the 45 tournaments thus far. With the Confederation of Nort, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) not sending a nation for the first time since 1993, Asian Cup finalists Japan and Qatar (who will host the next World Cup in 2022) occupy the other two spots. Yes, we know they’re not from South America.