The 2024 Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami faced significant disruptions due to chaotic scenes involving unruly fans attempting to force their way into the venue, leading to a delayed start on Sunday.
Footage of ticketless fans trying to storm the stadium went viral on social media, depicting a stampede-like situation at the entrance. The frenzy resulted in one of the escalators being completely destroyed by the out-of-control crowd.
🚨 BREAKING: At the Copa America Final in Miami, Florida, chaos and clashes erupted at Hard Rock Stadium!
— 🇺🇸 Larry 🇺🇸 (@LarryDJonesJr) July 15, 2024
Thousands of passionate Colombian fans managed to breach gates and bypass security to support their team against Argentina.
It was a wild scene as people were seen… pic.twitter.com/AkJ1WjJsc4
Spectators clashed with police and security officials, who were visibly overwhelmed by the sheer number of people.
¡La LOCURA en el Hard Rock Stadium! 😨
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) July 14, 2024
– Cerraron las entradas 🚪
– Están permitiendo pasar por grupos 👬
– Mucha gente tratando de entrar sin boleto 🎟️ #CopaAmérica pic.twitter.com/0sNdGxlFRG
The southwest gate had to be locked down as fans aggressively tried to breach the entry point.
Unauthorised entries
Unconfirmed reports indicated that approximately 7,000 fans without tickets managed to gain entry into the stadium. Before kickoff, these unauthorised fans crowded the aisles and walkways.
Security personnel were observed working to clear these areas and checking for valid tickets once the game commenced.
Delayed kickoff
The match, originally scheduled to start at 8 p.m. local time, was delayed and eventually kicked off at 9:22 p.m. The delay caused frustration among fans who had secured their seats legitimately and were eager to watch the final.
🚨🚨| The criticism from fans continues following the issues with the police and logistics outside the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami:
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) July 15, 2024
"THEY CAN'T ORGANIZE A WORLD CUP!" 🤯🇺🇲#CopaAmerica
pic.twitter.com/HhrpI8ryXk
Despite the chaotic prelude, the match proceeded, and after 120 minutes of regular and extra time, Argentina emerged victorious with a 1-0 win. This victory secured Argentina’s third consecutive major tournament title and their record 16th Copa America trophy.
Post-match reflections
The incidents before the match raised significant concerns about stadium security and the handling of large crowds during major events. Authorities and organisers are likely to face scrutiny and will need to reassess their strategies to prevent such occurrences in future events.
Copa America chaos got Hard Rock Stadium looking like FedEx Fieldpic.twitter.com/KSBj3y1h6f
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) July 15, 2024
The Copa America final will be remembered not only for Argentina’s triumph but also for the alarming scenes that marred the event.
(The article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Free Press Journal and Connected to India)
