South American football has produced some of the greatest national sides, legendary football players, unforgettable rivalries and dramatic finals in the history of the sport.
At the centre of that tradition is the Copa America, a competition first played in 1916 and now recognised as the oldest international men’s national-team tournament in world football.
Over more than a century, eight countries have lifted the trophy. Some celebrated once-in-a-generation triumphs, while Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil built dynasties that separate them from the rest of the continent.
The list of Copa America champions includes historic underdogs, dominant golden generations and national teams whose success helped shape South American football.
So, who has won the competition the most times?
Argentina currently holds the record with 16 titles, moving ahead of Uruguay after winning the 2024 tournament. Uruguay are immediately behind with 15, while Brazil sit third with nine.
This ranking looks at every country that has won the tournament, beginning with those with the fewest trophies and working all the way up to the most successful nation in its history.
Who Has Won the Most Copa América Trophies?
Argentina are the most successful country in Copa America history with 16 championships.
La Albiceleste moved into outright first place after defeating Colombia 1-0 after extra time in the 2024 final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Lautaro Martínez scored the decisive goal in the 112th minute, giving Argentina their second consecutive continental championship following their 2021 triumph.
Before 2024, Argentina and Uruguay were level on 15 trophies each.
Argentina’s victory therefore changed a record that had been shared by South America’s two historic River Plate rivals. Uruguay now occupy second place with 15 championships, while Brazil remain third with nine. Paraguay, Peru and Chile have each won twice, while Colombia and Bolivia have one title apiece.
Copa América Winners Ranked by Number of Trophies
Here is the top ranking of Copa America winners, arranged from the countries with the fewest championships to the nation with the most.
- Argentina – 16 titles
- Uruguay – 15 titles
- Brazil – 9 titles
- Chile – 2 titles
- Paraguay – 2 titles
- Peru – 2 titles
- Colombia – 1 title
- Bolivia – 1 title
The table highlights just how concentrated success has been among a small group of football teams. Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil account for 40 championships between them, while the remaining five winning nations have combined for only eight.
That contrast is one reason the rivalry between the continent’s three traditional powers has played such a central role in the competition’s history.
Understanding the Tournament’s Changing Format
Before ranking the champions individually, there is an important historical detail to understand.
The Copa America has not always been played with the group stage, quarter-finals, semi-finals and one-off final that modern supporters recognise.
The tournament began in 1916 as the South American Football Championship. Earlier editions frequently used a round-robin system in which every participating country played the others and the team with the strongest overall record became champion.
A designated final was therefore not required in many early editions.
According to CONMEBOL, the competition moved to a finals format in 1975. Between 1975 and 1983, finals were played over home-and-away matches, with an additional playoff when required. Peru needed a third game to defeat Colombia in 1975, while Paraguay’s 1979 contest with Chile also went to a playoff.
The 1989 and 1991 editions temporarily returned to a final-group system before the modern knockout structure became established.
That evolution matters when comparing historical records. Winning a title in the 1920s involved a different route from winning one today, but every championship is recognised as part of the tournament’s official history. That adaptability has helped the competition remain one of the world’s most significant football tournaments for more than a century.
8. Bolivia – 1 Title
Bolivia begin our lowest-to-highest ranking with one Copa America trophy.
Their sole championship came in 1963, when Bolivia hosted the competition for the first time. It remains one of the greatest achievements in the country’s sporting history and an example of how home conditions can play an important role in international football.
The 1963 tournament used a round-robin structure rather than a modern knockout final. Bolivia finished above their rivals to become continental champions, securing the country’s first and so far only title.
The achievement was particularly significant because Bolivia have historically found it difficult to match the sustained success of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Their championship therefore stands out as an exceptional moment in an otherwise challenging tournament history.
Bolivia did come remarkably close to winning another trophy more than three decades later.
They hosted the tournament again in 1997 and reached the final, where Brazil defeated them 3-1 in La Paz. Despite the loss, reaching the final confirmed that Bolivia could be extremely difficult to overcome at home.
Víctor Ugarte remains one of the most important figures in Bolivia’s competition history. His long career and goal-scoring contributions helped establish him among the country’s greatest international players.
Bolivia’s single championship may look modest alongside the numbers accumulated by South America’s traditional powers, but the 1963 triumph gives La Verde a permanent place among the continent’s champions. (Copa América)
7. Colombia – 1 Title
Colombia also have one Copa America title, secured during an unforgettable home tournament in 2001.
Los Cafeteros entered that competition under significant pressure as hosts but produced one of the strongest campaigns in their history.
Colombia reached the final against invited nation Mexico and won 1-0. Defender Iván Córdoba scored the decisive goal, giving his country its first continental championship.
The achievement was particularly impressive because Colombia completed the tournament without conceding a goal. Their organisation, defensive strength and ability to control matches made the 2001 team one of the competition’s most effective champions of the modern era.
Víctor Aristizábal also played a major attacking role and finished as the tournament’s leading scorer with six goals.
Colombia had previously reached the championship decider in 1975, losing to Peru after a three-match final series. They would wait almost half a century for another chance.
That opportunity arrived in 2024.
Inspired by an outstanding James Rodríguez, Colombia reached the final after a remarkable unbeaten run. They faced Argentina in Miami and pushed the defending champions beyond 90 minutes before Lautaro Martínez scored in extra time.
The 1-0 defeat prevented Colombia from adding a second trophy, but their campaign demonstrated that the country remains capable of competing with South America’s strongest sides.
With generations including Carlos Valderrama, René Higuita, Radamel Falcao, James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz, Colombia have produced numerous outstanding football players despite having converted only one tournament run into a championship.
Their 2001 title therefore remains a defining moment in Colombian football history.
6. Peru – 2 Titles
Peru are the first country on our list to have won the Copa America twice.
Their championships arrived in 1939 and 1975, two titles separated by 36 years and won under very different tournament formats.
Peru’s first success came on home soil in 1939. Playing in Lima, La Blanquirroja produced a perfect campaign and finished ahead of Uruguay to claim the championship.
One of the stars of that generation was Teodoro “Lolo” Fernández, one of the greatest figures in Peruvian football history.
Peru had to wait until 1975 for their second title.
This edition was significant because it introduced a format in which countries played home-and-away matches rather than competing in a single host nation. Peru eventually reached the final against Colombia.
Colombia won the first leg 1-0 before Peru responded with a 2-0 victory in the return match. Because each country had won once, a playoff was required on neutral ground.
Peru won that deciding encounter 1-0 to become champions for the second time.
The 1975 team contained some of the country’s most celebrated talents, including Teófilo Cubillas and Héctor Chumpitaz.
Peru have not lifted the trophy since, although they came close again in 2019. Ricardo Gareca’s side reached the final at the Maracanã after eliminating Uruguay and Chile during the knockout rounds.
Brazil proved too strong in the final, winning 3-1.
Nevertheless, Peru’s two historic championships keep them alongside Paraguay and Chile in an exclusive group immediately behind the tournament’s three dominant nations.
5. Paraguay – 2 Titles
Paraguay are another two-time Copa America winner, with championships in 1953 and 1979.
Their first breakthrough came at the 1953 tournament in Peru.
Paraguay defeated Brazil in the decisive stage of the tournament to capture their first South American championship. The victory established La Albirroja as a genuine continental force during an era dominated largely by Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.
Twenty-six years later, Paraguay returned to the summit.
The 1979 edition did not have one permanent host. Paraguay reached the final against Chile, beginning the series with an emphatic 3-0 victory.
Chile won the second encounter 1-0, meaning another match was needed. The playoff finished 0-0, but Paraguay were crowned champions based on the aggregate score from the final series.
The second championship was particularly important because it showed that Paraguay’s earlier success had not been an isolated achievement.
Players such as Romerito became closely associated with that successful era, while generations that followed continued Paraguay’s reputation for physical organisation, defensive resilience and competitive intensity.
The country almost captured another championship in 2011.
Paraguay reached the final despite an unusual knockout journey in which they progressed through both the quarter-finals and semi-finals via penalty shootouts. Uruguay ultimately defeated them 3-0 in the final.
Paraguay therefore remain on two trophies, but their championship history extends across very different generations and tactical eras.
4. Chile – 2 Titles
Chile’s rise to becoming two-time Copa America champions happened remarkably quickly.
For decades, La Roja had been one of the major South American nations never to win the continental championship. They had produced excellent teams and reached several decisive stages, but the trophy remained elusive.
Everything changed in 2015.
Chile hosted the tournament with arguably the strongest generation of players in the country’s history. Alexis Sánchez, Arturo Vidal, Claudio Bravo, Gary Medel and Charles Aránguiz formed the core of a highly aggressive, technically gifted side.
Chile reached the final against Argentina at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago.
After 120 minutes without a goal, the championship went to penalties. Chile won the shootout 4-1, with Alexis Sánchez converting the decisive kick.
It was the first continental championship in Chilean history.
Instead of treating that success as the end of a journey, Chile repeated the achievement just one year later at the special Copa América Centenario tournament in the United States.
Once again, Argentina were the opponent in the final.
Once again, the match finished goalless.
And once again, Chile prevailed on penalties, this time 4-2.
Winning consecutive tournaments transformed Chile’s golden generation from an exciting collection of talent into one of the most accomplished South American national sides of the 2010s.
Their back-to-back victories also produced one of the more remarkable rivalries of the modern tournament because both championships came against a Lionel Messi-led Argentina side desperately searching for an international trophy.
Chile have not reached those heights since, but the consecutive championships of 2015 and 2016 permanently changed their football history.
3. Brazil – 9 Titles
Brazil sit comfortably in third place with nine Copa America championships.
Given Brazil’s extraordinary World Cup history, some supporters may be surprised that the five-time world champions are so far behind Argentina and Uruguay in the continental trophy ranking.
Part of the explanation lies in how Brazilian football historically prioritised different competitions during various periods. Nevertheless, when Brazil have fielded their strongest sides, they have regularly been devastating.
Their nine titles were won in 1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007 and 2019.
Brazil’s championship history can therefore be divided into several successful periods.
Their early victories came in 1919 and 1922. A third followed in 1949 before a surprisingly long 40-year wait ended when Brazil won the 1989 tournament on home soil.
The late 1990s and 2000s then brought another dominant period.
Brazil won in 1997 with a side featuring Ronaldo and Romário before retaining the trophy in 1999. They added consecutive championships again in 2004 and 2007.
Some of the tournament’s most memorable football goals have come from Brazilian attacking teams built around technically exceptional players.
The 2004 final was particularly dramatic. Argentina appeared to be heading toward victory before Adriano scored a late equaliser, allowing Brazil to force penalties and eventually win the shootout.
Three years later, Brazil produced a much more convincing result against the same opponent, defeating Argentina 3-0 in the 2007 final.
Their most recent title came in 2019.
Playing at home, Brazil went through the tournament unbeaten and conceded just one goal. They defeated Argentina 2-0 in the semi-final before beating Peru 3-1 at the Maracanã.
Everton, Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison scored in the final, giving Brazil their ninth championship.
Nine trophies would represent overwhelming dominance for almost any country. In this competition, however, it is enough for only third place.
That fact illustrates just how extraordinary the championship records of Uruguay and Argentina really are.
2. Uruguay – 15 Titles
For many years, Uruguay were the undisputed leaders of the Copa America trophy table.
La Celeste have won 15 championships: 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995 and 2011.
Their position near the top is even more remarkable when considering Uruguay’s population compared with South America’s much larger footballing nations.
Uruguay established their continental dominance almost immediately.
They won the inaugural tournament in 1916 and retained the championship in 1917. By the end of the 1920s, Uruguay had already accumulated six titles.
That period coincided with one of the most important generations in the development of international football. Uruguay also won Olympic gold medals in 1924 and 1928 before becoming the inaugural FIFA World Cup champions in 1930.
Continental success continued across subsequent decades.
The 1980s produced two further championships in 1983 and 1987.
Another memorable title arrived in 1995 when Uruguay hosted the tournament. They met Brazil in the final in Montevideo, drawing 1-1 before winning the penalty shootout 5-3.
Their most recent championship came in 2011.
That team contained a formidable group including Luis Suárez, Diego Forlán and Edinson Cavani. Uruguay defeated Argentina on penalties in the quarter-finals and overcame Peru in the semi-finals before meeting Paraguay in the final.
Suárez opened the scoring and Forlán added two more as Uruguay won 3-0.
At the time, the victory gave Uruguay their 15th championship and moved them ahead of Argentina in the historical standings.
For a decade, Uruguay remained alone at the top.
Argentina finally drew level by winning in 2021 and moved ahead with another championship in 2024.
Uruguay now occupy second place, but their influence on the tournament cannot be measured by that ranking alone. From the competition’s first edition to the modern era, La Celeste have been one of its defining nations.
1. Argentina – 16 Titles
Argentina are officially the most successful nation in Copa America history with 16 trophies.
Their championships came in 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993, 2021 and 2024.
Few countries can match the consistency of Argentina across so many different eras.
The country’s first championship arrived in 1921, and three more followed before the end of the 1920s.
Argentina were particularly dominant during the 1940s.
They won four championships during the decade, including three consecutive editions in 1945, 1946 and 1947. That run remains one of the clearest demonstrations of Argentina’s early strength in South American football.
Further titles followed in 1955, 1957 and 1959.
Then came a surprising drought.
Despite producing generations that included some of the greatest football players ever to represent a national team, Argentina went more than three decades without winning the continental championship.
The drought finally ended in 1991.
Argentina retained the title in 1993, defeating Mexico 2-1 in the final.
What followed was another frustrating period.
Argentina reached finals in 2004 and 2007 but lost both to Brazil. They lost again to Chile in 2015 and 2016, meaning Lionel Messi’s generation repeatedly came within one match of the trophy without winning it.
That narrative changed in 2021.
Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 at the Maracanã, with Ángel Di María scoring the only goal. The victory gave Argentina their 15th title and Messi his first major senior international trophy.
Three years later, Argentina went one better historically.
They reached the 2024 final against Colombia after another strong tournament. The match remained 0-0 through 90 minutes before Lautaro Martínez broke the deadlock in the 112th minute.
Argentina won 1-0.
The championship was their 16th, moving them beyond Uruguay and into sole possession of the all-time record. Lautaro also finished as the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals.
The significance of the achievement goes beyond adding another trophy.
Argentina had gone 28 years without a continental championship between 1993 and 2021. They then won twice within three years.
That turnaround, combined with the 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph, transformed Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina into one of the great national-team generations.
And for the first time in the competition’s long history, Argentina stand alone at the top.
Which South American Countries Have Never Won the Trophy?
Eight of CONMEBOL’s ten member nations have won the continental championship.
That leaves Ecuador and Venezuela as the only South American members yet to lift the trophy.
Both countries have produced competitive sides and memorable tournament performances, but neither has managed to complete a championship run.
Invited countries have also competed regularly without winning.
Mexico have come particularly close. They reached the final in 1993, losing to Argentina, and again in 2001, losing to Colombia.
The United States, Costa Rica, Honduras, Japan, Qatar, Jamaica, Panama and other invited nations have also participated at different points without becoming champions.
The trophy has therefore remained exclusively in South American hands.
Read more about Copa América here!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the most Copa América trophies?
Argentina have won the most trophies, with 16 championships. Uruguay are second with 15, while Brazil are third with nine.
Argentina became the outright record holders when they won the Copa America in 2024.
How many Copa América trophies has Argentina won?
Argentina have won 16 titles: 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993, 2021 and 2024.
How many Copa América trophies has Uruguay won?
Uruguay have won 15 titles. Their first came at the inaugural tournament in 1916, while their most recent championship was in 2011.
How many times has Brazil won Copa América?
Brazil have won nine championships. Their most recent victory came in 2019 when they defeated Peru 3-1 in the final at the Maracanã.
Which countries have won Copa América?
Eight countries have won the competition: Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Chile, Colombia and Bolivia.
These eight nations make up the complete list of Copa America champions.
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