The Copa America soccer tournament final was postponed for more than 75 minutes after fans rioted and broke through the gates at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
The final between Argentina and Colombia was the final of the Copa America, an international tournament featuring teams from South and North America.
The game was scheduled to start at 8pm but didn’t begin until around 9:22pm, causing mayhem as fans jumped gates, pushed over fences and even tried to enter the stadium. Ventilation system.
Police eventually completely sealed off the gates to the stadium, forcing ticketed fans to wait outside while police and security personnel attempted to quell the disturbances and arrest those attempting to force their way into the stadium. mirrorMany fans, some of whom had small children with them, got into fights with the police.
‘this [is] This is happening on our watch, and it’s not a good look.”
Miami-Dade County Police issued a statement at the time about “several incidents” that occurred outside the stadium gates.
“These incidents are the result of disorderly behaviour by fans attempting to enter the stadium,” police said. Fox Sports“We ask that everyone remain patient and adhere to the rules set forth by security and Hard Rock Stadium officials. We are actively working with Hard Rock Stadium to ensure a safe environment for all attendees. Anyone behaving erratically will be subject to removal and/or arrest.”
At that point, a new start time for the match was decided.
“We inform you that those without tickets will not be able to enter the stadium. Once access is reopened, only those who have purchased a ticket will be able to enter,” South American football’s governing body CONMEBOL said.
“We regret to inform you that the match will be delayed by 30 minutes and will now start at 8:30pm local time.”
generally Colombian fans Online videos showed them charging into the stadium entrance and running from police.
Several people waited outside the stadium for treatment due to delays caused by 88-degree weather.
As the start of the game approached, a Fox Sports reporter said the situation wasUnmitigated” and the train was delayed again until 8:45.
Argentina players said they felt “helpless” because some of their families were denied entry to the stadium just minutes before kick-off, including Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández, who was worried his young children would not be able to get safely inside.
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
After the kick-off was postponed to 9:15 p.m., soccer analyst Alexis Lalas said: Commented The security concerns were a troubling one, given that the 2026 World Cup is scheduled to be hosted by the United States, along with Mexico and Canada.
“this [is] “This is happening in our country, on our watch, so it’s not a good look. It’s not a good look for the United States with less than two years until the World Cup,” he said.
The match kicked off at 9:22 pm and Argentina won 1-0 with a goal from Lautaro Martínez in the 112th minute of extra time.
During the match, fans were seen being chased away from seats believed to be not theirs, highlighting another fan frustration with the final. ForbesTicket prices started at a low of $2,000 and went up to a high of $66,765. The average price was just over $4,000. Tickets for the rest of the tournament were around $200.
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