Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and the United States were named group top seeds Thursday for the 2016 Copa America and learned their match venue path to next June's championship showdown.

Organizers of the 16-team, US-based event and the governing bodies from North and South American football also revealed the match dates for the unique 100th anniversary celebration event, the first Copa America ever staged outside of South America.

The Americans were named atop Group A as the hosts with Argentina seeded atop Group D as the highest-ranked nation in the Americas.

Brazil was put atop Group B and Mexico atop Group C, according to the announcement from North American sanctioners CONCACAF, "in celebration of the rich soccer tradition in the hemisphere and as the most decorated nations in the last 100 years in international competitions from their respective confederations."

The remaining 12 teams will be sorted into four groups in early 2016 in a public draw, seedings for which will be based upon this month's FIFA world rankings.

"Copa America Centenario 2016 in the United States is huge," US coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. "It's almost like a World Cup. The Copa America is similar to the European Championship, so it's kind of just one step below the World Cup and having that hosted in the United States... is an unbelievable opportunity."

Klinsmann said it will be a wonderful test midway between the 2014 Brazil and 2018 Russia World Cups.

"Obviously, the big picture is always the World Cup 2018 in Russia, but a Copa America is something special so there will be packed stadiums, a lot of fans from all over the place and many exciting games to watch," Klinsmann said. "So we are thrilled."

Chicago and Santa Clara, California, were each named to host four matches while eight other venues will host three, including MetLife Stadium in suburban New York hosting the June 26 final.

Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara will host the opening match on June 3 pitting the United States against their highest-rated group rival. The Americans will also play June 7 in Chicago and June 11 at Philadelphia.

Brazil will open against its top-rated Group B rival on June 4 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, with a June 8 match at Orlando, Florida, and a June 12 match at Foxborough, Massachusetts.

"A hundred years is a historical milestone in an important competition, which we want to win," Brazil coach Dunga said. "We are happy to play in the cities that Brazil has played in the past in front of many Brazilians."

Argentina will open Group D play on June 6 at Santa Clara with other group matches on June 10 at Chicago and June 14 at Seattle.

Mexico will open June 5 at suburban Phoenix, Arizona, with other Group C matches at Pasadena on June 9 and Houston on June 13.

"It's a tournament with great tradition and relevance across the entire American continent, where the teams fight each play as if it were the last," Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio said. "We will look to be a protagonist."

Osorio said Mexico's Gold Cup title this year was part of earning its seed and that created "a challenge and responsibility to show our best soccer."

Centenario quarter-final matches will be played June 16 at Seattle, June 17 at East Rutherford, New Jersey, and June 18 at Santa Clara and Foxborough with the semi-finals set for June 21 at Houston and June 22 at Chicago.