The Copa América is South America's major tournament in senior men's soccer and determines the continental champion.
But because CONMEBOL only has ten member associations, guest nations have regularly been invited since 1993.
Canada was initially invited for the 2001 Copa América due to their championship at the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
CONMEBOL reversed their decision five days later and allowed the competition to go ahead, but the Canadian Soccer Association decided against participating after the initial cancellation.
[1] Canada were eligible to qualify for the Copa América Centenario in 2016 through the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, but did not make it past the group stage.