Additional Coverage:
- Fans rush gates in Miami Gardens ahead of Copa América final (newsbreak.com)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The kickoff of the Copa América 2024 final between Argentina and Colombia was delayed by more than an hour on Sunday due to a security incident where fans forcefully entered through one of the main gates.
The match, initially set to begin at 8 p.m. ET, started at 9:22 p.m. After a tense battle extending through regular and extra time, Argentina secured a 1-0 win, claiming their third consecutive championship and a record 16th Copa América title.
The delay was triggered earlier in the day, as viral social media footage showed supporters breaking through the southwest gate at Hard Rock Stadium, with some being detained by police and security officials. An on-site security guard confirmed the breach to ESPN, noting that the gate was locked down in response.
Both teams were pulled from warmups as the situation outside escalated.
Hard Rock Alert stated that the stadium was temporarily put on lockdown due to safety concerns as fans without tickets tried to enter forcibly. The statement emphasized slowing down the admission process to ensure the safety of attendees.
Stadium gates were eventually reopened to alleviate crowding and prevent potential injuries at the entry points, as explained by a stadium spokesperson in collaboration with CONMEBOL and law enforcement.
At one point, all stadium gates were closed following the initial surge of fans, described as “very fluid” by a Miami-Dade Police officer to ESPN.
Amid the chaos, Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister assisted his family in entering the stadium, described by his mother Silvina as “inhumane” in terms on crowd conditions.
An estimated 7,000 ticketless spectators managed to get into the stadium, causing crowding that persisted until kickoff, with security later verifying the tickets of fans without seats.
Reacting to the disorder, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, alongside the chief public safety officer James Reyes, criticized the events, vowing a thorough review to enhance future protocols. A subsequent police statement urged patience and compliance with established guidelines.
Despite the tumultuous start, the stadium anticipated a full house of over 65,000 fans, with video footage capturing the dense crowd at the southwest gate. Some attendees received medical attention due to the intense heat.
This incident shines a light on the organizational challenges faced in this year’s Copa América, which has seen issues from the outset, including complaints about field and crowd management conditions noted by competing teams.
Lizzy Becherano of ESPN and information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- Fans rush gates in Miami Gardens ahead of Copa América final (newsbreak.com)