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How Nashville SC will be affected by Summer Olympics, Copa América
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- How Nashville SC will be affected by Summer Olympics, Copa América
A majority of MLS teams, including Nashville SC , are off this week to accommodate the FIFA international match window, which serves as a precursor for marquee tournaments this summer.
Many national teams in North and South America are preparing for the Copa América, which takes place from June 20 to July 14 in the United States. It's also the beginning of the second round of CONCACAF qualification for the 2026 World Cup. And the soccer competition at the Summer Olympics in Paris is set for July 24-Aug. 9.
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Nashville has four players training with their national teams — Walker Zimmerman , Shaq Moore , Jacob Shaffelburg and Aníbal Godoy — and could be without them for substantial stretches this summer.
Walker Zimmerman set to represent United States at Olympics
The Olympic teams are limited mostly to players 23 and younger, with three spots for overage players. Walker Zimmerman, 31, is in line to fill one of those spots for the United States. The center back, who has 42 caps for the senior national team, was called up as the only overage player in coach Marko Mitrović's 25-player training camp.
The United States will face Japan on June 11 in an international friendly. Mitrović must submit his final 18-player squad by July 3.
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The United States is in Group A of the 16-team Olympic tournament, and will face France on July 24, New Zealand on July 27 and Guinea on July 30. If Zimmerman goes to the Olympics, he'd miss Nashville's Leagues Cup opener against Mazatlán on July 31 and potentially the NSC group stage game at the New England Revolution on Aug. 6, if the U.S. advances far enough.
Zimmerman has made a dramatic difference for Nashville's defense in 2024. Across all competitions, NSC has given up seven goals in 758 minutes (0.83 per game) he has been on the field, compared to 19 goals in 1,042 minutes (1.64 per game) without him.
Shaq Moore in USMNT training camp ahead of Copa América
Shaq Moore was one of four MLS players named to coach Gregg Berhalter's 27-man roster for tuneup friendlies against Colombia (June 8) and Brazil (June 12). The USMNT opens Copa América Group C play against Bolivia on June 23 and will face Panama on June 27 and Uruguay on July 1.
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Berhalter is required to submit his Copa América squad roster, which can be between 23 and 26 players, by June 15.
Moore, who has a goal and three assists in 15 games for Nashville this season, has 18 international caps and appeared at the 2022 World Cup with Zimmerman. He didn't make an appearance for the USMNT in 2023, but Sergiño Dest's torn ACL has opened opportunities at right back, leading to Moore's latest inclusion.
Jacob Shaffelburg in the mix for Canadian national team spot
Jacob Shaffelburg has been one of NSC's top attackers, with four goals and three assists in 19 games despite spending substantial time at wingback under recently fired coach Gary Smith . He's shown that same form with his national team, scoring in a 2-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in March to help Canada qualify for its first Copa América.
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New Canada coach Jesse Marsch named Shaffelburg to his 26-player squad for friendlies against the Netherlands (June 6) and France (June 9). Canada is in Group A and will play in the first match of the tournament, against Argentina on June 20, before games against Peru (June 25) and Chile (June 29).
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Aníbal Godoy set to lead Panama into Copa América
The central midfielder is set to reprise his role as Panama's captain for World Cup qualifiers against Guyana (June 6) and Montserrat (June 9). Los Canaleros have a friendly on June 16 against Paraguay before Copa América group-stage games against Uruguay (June 23), the United States and Bolivia (July 1).
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Moore, Shaffelburg and Godoy are all starters when healthy, and Nashville could be down all of them for games against Toronto FC (June 19), New York City FC (June 22), Inter Miami (June 29) and the Columbus Crew (July 3).
The Copa América quarterfinals are July 4-5, and the semifinals are July 9-10. The third-place game is July 13, with the final set for July 14 in Miami.
If the U.S., Canada or Panama reach the semifinals, Moore, Shaffelburg or Godoy would be unavailable for Nashville's games against the Portland Timbers (July 7), D.C. United (July 13) and potentially Orlando City (July 17).
Due to injuries, Nashville struggled to field a full-strength lineup early this season. It won't be at full strength much this summer, either, but for different reasons.
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Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville SC likely to be affected by Summer Olympics, Copa América
