The problem started with fans rushing the gates when they opened at 5 p.m., three hours before kickoff. Several were caught by police. Authorities then decided to close the gates and allow a trickle of fans to come through. The backup, however, grew worse.
Fans crowded outside the stadium, waiting for security to reopen the entrances. Several fans were reportedly treated for heat exhaustion while waiting in brutal humidity. Officials called for all fans without tickets to leave the area to speed up the entrance process and initially delayed kickoff by 30, then 45 minutes.
“In anticipation of tonight’s Copa America Final, thousands of fans without tickets attempted to forcibly enter the stadium, putting other fans, security and law enforcement officers at extreme risk,” a stadium spokesperson said in a statement on X. “Security has shut the gates in order to control the entry process at a much slower rate and ensure everyone is kept safe. As a result, tonight’s start time has been delayed until further notice to accommodate for ticketed fans to be able to safely enter the stadium.”
By 8:15 p.m., the stadium gates had reopened, and fans flooded into the stadium in a semi-orderly fashion. Players retook the field for warmups as the start time was pushed again to 9:15 p.m.
“These incidents have been the result of the unruly behavior of fans trying to access the stadium,” a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Police Department said in a statement on X. “We are asking everyone to be patient, and abide by the rules set by our officers and Hard Rock Stadium personnel. We are actively working with Hard Rock Stadium to ensure a safe environment for all those attending. Unruly behavior will get you ejected and/or arrested.”
Pablo Ruiz, 49, from Argentina, said he flew in with friends just for this match. He waited 90 minutes to get through the gates, while his friends were still trapped outside.
“[Security] treated us like animals, like cows. It was bad. I tell you: The U.S. is not ready to host the World Cup [in 2026],” Ruiz said.
A D.C.-area executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he was still trying to enter the suite gate on the south side of the stadium more than four hours after the doors initially opened. “One of the most frightening and chaotic situations I’ve ever encountered,” he said. He finally gave up and left at 9:30 p.m., having never got in.
A sellout crowd of 65,000 was expected for the final.
The commotion is the latest instance of organizational issues at Copa América, which is being staged by South American governing body CONMEBOL. After Wednesday’s semifinal match in which Colombia beat Uruguay, Uruguayan players climbed into the stands to exchange punches with Colombian fans whom they said were threatening players’ families.
Goff reported from Miami Gardens. Credeur reported from Washington.
