Two matches and it's over. That's as much or as little as the stadium in Charlotte was given to host the Copa América. However, thanks to significant investment, the plans for July did not just include these matches, but also other events. How were all these projects combined?

Charlotte's debut in such big event

Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte was prepared for a very intense July, with the Copa América already organised and other events to come.Fans from at least 58 countries were expected at the semi-final, which took place on Wednesday night. Attendance at the match surpassed the results of most other Copa América matches and was almost 95% with a capacity of 75,000. If anyone wondered why there were no third place matches at the Euros, here is a simple explanation: less than 33% of the seats were filled at the Canada-Uruguay match.

Preparations for such a large tournament in the city began in February 2023, and Charlotte was officially announced as the host city in December. It required around 2,000 staff to operate the stadium, from catering to retail to helping direct spectators to their seats. In addition, more than 500 media representatives from around the world came to the city. The turf for the Copa América matches was prepared by around 40 people, who installed ⅓ of an hectare of grass from the surrounding Carolina Green.

© Sofia Zinger

Charlotte not live by matches alone

After the third place match, the stadium is transforming into the venue for Morgan Wallen's concerts on July 18 and 19. It won't be such a brewery event. Previously, the city hosted a George Strait & Chris Stapleton concert on June 1.

Bank of America Stadium is currently undergoing a modernisation, with $1 million invested in new technology to improve the experience for fans beyond football. Local authorities and the business community are hopeful that these measures will quickly repay the money invested.