The turmoil just before the match led to criticism of the organizers, including CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, for poor coordination and oversight|@RLoRecruiter|X
The Copa America 2024 final at Hard Rock Stadium was marred by scenes of chaos as fans, many without tickets, breached security measures to watch the match between Argentina and Colombia.
Hordes of fans, including women and children, pushed to the entrances, leading to overcrowding and incidents of heat exhaustion. There were over 70,000 fans packed into the stadium. Many took to vents to try and enter the stadium.
Despite efforts by stadium officials and local law enforcement, the situation escalated. Looking at the sheer number of people, security decided to allow entry to everyone to avoid a stampede.
The situation forced a delay in the match by over an hour.
Hard Rock Stadium, slated to host several 2026 World Cup matches, faced scrutiny for its handling of the situation, including the decision to temporarily close gates, which left legitimate ticket holders unable to enter.
The situation escalated as fans faced heat exhaustion in the South Florida climate, compounded by overcrowding and insufficient crowd control measures.
The turmoil just before the match, which featured star players like Lionel Messi potentially in his final major international match led to criticism of the organizers—including CONMEBOL and CONCACAF—for poor coordination and oversight.
FIFA, the World Cup organizers, and host venues in the US, Canada, and Mexico now face intense scrutiny to prevent future mishaps.