The United States is set to host the World Cup in a few short years, and if this is any indication of what’s to come, we might be in trouble.
The Copa América final was delayed Sunday night after tens of thousands of Colombian and Argentinian fans flooded to gates of Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, home of the Miami Dolphins, creating absolute mayhem. In order to prevent injury and death to those being pinned against the railings of the entrances from the stampede pushing from behind, security opted to open the gates, allowing fans to rush in, with or without a ticket.
Columbia migrants don’t want to pay for tickets – this is the USA… pic.twitter.com/Mcii0RokpB
— @amuse (@amuse) July 15, 2024
#ARGCOL Crowd trouble at the #CopaAmerica final in #Miami
This is showcasing overwhelming support #SouthAmerican #football Fans and the importance of the cup for Manny, but the chaos highlights #America‘s incompetence #Copa final most important game for some in their life pic.twitter.com/VQ7QCLVsg0
— Fanatico Football (@fanatico_japan) July 15, 2024
🚨 ¡Aficionados han comenzado a ingresar al Hard Rock Stadium! 🏟️#CopaAmérica pic.twitter.com/k4WtrN1ybe
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) July 15, 2024
Additionally, fans without tickets were seen scaling fences and climbing the outside of the stadium to get access, some even entering the bottom floor of the stadium and finding their way through air conditioning vents to the seats.
Univision caught fans climbing up the Hard Rock Stadium ticket will call tent and police on them immediately like scenes out of a cartoon show pic.twitter.com/TaA7GrbFTn
— Douglas Reyes-Ceron (@dreyesceron) July 15, 2024
😳 Copa America final. Shocking.pic.twitter.com/I34BiACfGR
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 15, 2024
People climbing on TOP OF THE TICKET BOOTH and jumping onto the concourse at Hard Rock Stadium to get into #CopaAmerica2024
Video: @jruizdesign pic.twitter.com/nrHlk8WX1n
— Gaby Urrutia (@GabyUrrutia247) July 15, 2024
The bowls of Hard Rock Stadium became so packed that the aisles between sections of seats were no longer even visible as the stadium reached way over capacity.
Police coming in and checking tickets. Kicking people out row by row at the Hard Rock Stadium #CopaAmerica Finals pic.twitter.com/nydcfd4iXC
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) July 15, 2024
Some fans who purchased tickets rightfully and traveled to the game were denied entrance due to the circumstances.
Security are clearing people out.
Whole row in front of me is empty now. Literally NONE of them had tickets 🙃 pic.twitter.com/ue55eor4un
— Katlyn Stevens (@katlyn_stevens) July 15, 2024
Así quedó el lobby del Hard Rock stadium. pic.twitter.com/Fvz11FYzmg
— Iván Kasanzew (@IvanKasanzew) July 15, 2024
CONMEBOL, South America’s governing body, was in charge of organizing the event and is facing serious backlash over their handling of the situation, clearly rightfully so.
