MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia started Sunday night more than an hour late because of crowd issues, including fans breaking through security gates.
Hours before kickoff, fans filed through the gates of Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, one of the sites that will host the 2026 World Cup.
Videos posted on social media I showed it to the fans, Many people dressed in the yellow and red of the Colombian flag jumped over security fences. Near the southwest entrance He ran out of the stadium, past police officers and stadium staff, and could be heard screaming behind him.
Several people were seen receiving medical treatment and requesting water in the sweltering South Florida heat. Police pushed the crowd behind gates and blocked the entrances to stop anyone getting in, but many fans with tickets had already taken their seats.
One young fan, wearing an Argentina jersey, was let inside the gates and was crying hysterically as the man he was with and a police officer tried to comfort him.
Security guards initially appeared to have slightly opened the gates to allow in only a few fans at a time, but other angry spectators continued to push against the barrier.
After closing the gates again, security began gradually letting fans in from about 8:10pm and the new kickoff time was set for 9:15pm, but the mayhem continued. Fans again broke through the barriers and so many queued to get in that security’s security scanners swayed back and forth.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levin Cava and Public Safety Director James Reyes said in a statement during the game that the county had deployed more than 550 police officers, as well as officers from neighboring police departments, to secure the stadium.
“To be clear, this should never have happened and must never happen again,” the statement read. “We are working with stadium leadership to immediately conduct a full review of tonight’s events to evaluate the entire sequence of events and implement the necessary protocols and policies for all future matches.”
Fans in both teams’ jerseys began running in different directions, some with children on their shoulders. Tickets were not scanned and few police officers or stadium officials were visible in the crowd.
Some fans began climbing over the fence to try to get in. Three police officers were seen handcuffing a fan holding a Colombian flag on the ramp leading to the stadium’s seats.
One fan, who travelled from Mendoza, Argentina, to watch the game, called only Claudio, said he couldn’t breathe as police tried to quell the unrest.
“It’s impossible to host the World Cup! It’s impossible,” Claudio said in Spanish. “They were locked at the gates for hours, they couldn’t breathe. There were elderly people. Look at him, look at him (pointing to his young son). There was no water, nothing.”
Miami-Dade County Police Department After the incident, they released a statement about X.He said there had been “several incidents” before the stadium gates opened.
“These incidents are the result of disorderly behavior by fans attempting to enter the stadium,” the statement said. “We ask that everyone remain patient and abide by the rules set forth by police officers and Hard Rock Stadium personnel. We are actively working with Hard Rock Stadium to ensure a safe environment for all attendees. Anyone engaging in disorderly behavior will be subject to removal and/or arrest.”
The players took to the pitch at 8:38 pm and began warming up.
Hard Rock Stadium A statement was also issued“Thousands of fans without tickets tried to force their way into the stadium,” he said.
“All fans without tickets must leave the Hard Rock Stadium grounds,” the statement said. “This is paramount to the success and, most importantly, safety of the game.”
A sellout crowd of more than 65,000 was expected. South American Tournament FinalsThe stands were fairly divided between Argentine and Colombian fans, but there seemed to be more yellow Colombian fans.
It is unclear which fans who entered during the rush had tickets to the match. A statement was issued X number of days before, we warned fans that they would need tickets even to get into the venue’s parking lot.
The Associated Press spoke to several people Sunday who were parked in the stadium’s parking lot without tickets to the game.
Standing near a tent with a sign in Spanish reading “People Not Allowed” was Victor Cruz from Mendoza, Argentina, who had not purchased a ticket.
“If it doesn’t go in, that’s OK. We’ll see it somewhere,” Cruz said just hours before kickoff.
Those who had received tickets and those without tickets were still waiting to enter the game, and all were kept behind security gates near the original 8 p.m. EDT kickoff time.
The unrest before the final was the culmination of a series of issues that arose throughout the 32-match tournament, from complaints about the playing field to criticism of the referees and concerns about player safety.
After Argentina beat Canada in the opening match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on June 20, the two teams Criticized the grass fieldThe new field replaces the venue’s usual artificial turf. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez called the field a “disaster.” Canadian defender Kamal Miller said the field looked empty.
Such criticism continued towards other teams and coaches from the early stages of the tournament.
CONMEBOL officials said the complaints were due to the appearance of the grass, and that the grass at Hard Rock Stadium was in “excellent” condition.
At a press conference the day before the final, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni stood by his complaint after the opening match that the court in Atlanta “was not a good field.”
He added that the team didn’t continue with the criticism because “it could have been interpreted as an excuse.”
The tournament and its organisers have once again come under heavy criticism following the brawl that broke out after Colombia’s 1-0 win over Uruguay in the semi-finals.
Shortly after referee Cesar Ramos blew the final whistle, Darwin Nunez and his Uruguay teammates ran up the stairs into the rowdy crowd, and video showed Nunez punching a fan wearing Colombia’s team colors.
Uruguay captain Jose Jimenez said: The players went into the crowd to protect their families.Everyone was injured, including his wife and child, who were sitting in the stands behind Uruguay’s bench, and manager Marcelo Bielsa later criticised tournament organisers for not doing enough to protect his family, as it took more than 10 minutes for police to arrive and restore order.
CONMEBOL later issued a statement condemning the violence but did not further elaborate on additional security measures for the final.
Scaloni, Martinez and Colombian midfielder Juan Quintero called on fans to be peaceful at Sunday’s game.
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AP Copa America coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/copa-america
