The 41st edition of the Copa America, the world’s oldest international tournament will be held in Peru this July, and the local organisers sought to draw on the experience and knowledge of English football in a four-day workshop at the Peruvian Football Federation headquarters in Lima last week.

The FA’s Senior Media Relations Officer Andrin Cooper and International Relations Manager Kim Fisher were joined by Glen Kirton, Tournament Director of the very successful Euro 96, and Middlesbrough FC Safety Officer Ron Turnbull to address a total of 37 enthusiastic participants comprising representatives from the Local Organising Committee, Peruvian FA, regional associations, CONMEBOL and the police.

The sessions covered all aspects of tournament organisation, from management structures to media operations, from commercial partnerships to VIP management, but it was the harsh lessons learnt by English on safety and security matters, and the stringent measures subsequently put in place, that provoked the most discussion.

Peru will also host the FIFA U-17 World Championships next year, and the Copa America provides the ideal opportunity for a rehearsal, testing facilities, infrastructure and personnel to meet the requirements of the world governing body.

For Tournament Director Irzio Pinasco, the workshop was an invaluable insight into the multi-faceted and complex nature of tournament organisation: "It was a very rewarding event from which we have gained very good ideas that will be implemented for the Copa America. It also confirmed that we are working on the right track."

The workshop was the fifth to take place in the South American region under the framework of the Co-operation Programme signed in September 2003 by FA Chairman Geoff Thompson and CONMEBOL President Dr. Nicolas Leoz.

CONMEBOL Co-ordinator Alberto Almirall has been greatly encouraged by the results: "We are delighted with the workshops that have been delivered by various FA and English experts in Paraguay, Ecuador, Chile and Peru. The feedback has been extremely positive and we would like to continue to build and strengthen football relations between England and South America."

For The FA, it was a chance to share ideas and knowledge in an ever-expanding range of football sectors. "This is the first time we have been asked to deliver workshops on the themes of Stadium Safety and Security and Tournament Organisation and we are pleased that our friends in the South American football family are so receptive," said Kim Fisher, The FA’s International Relations Manager.