The chaos at Sunday’s Copa America final has cast a shadow over the United States’ readiness to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Just hours before Argentina secured its record 16th Copa title against Colombia, thousands of fans breached the security at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, bypassing gates, jumping over railings and overwhelming police officers.
For nearly four hours, fans crowded the gates waiting for entry. Security initially allowed only a few in at a time, but rumors spread about falsified tickets and people entering without them. With only a handful of security officers positioned at the main entrances, there was little they could do.
Fans of Colombia and Argentina try to pass the gate amid disturbances the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 14, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Fans of Colombia and Argentina try to pass the gate amid disturbances the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 14, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
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At a certain point, someone ordered the gates to be opened to prevent a catastrophe. With no one in control, thousands of fans flooded into the stadium, some without tickets. No cell phones were scanned, and few police officers or stadium officials were visible in the crowd. There were screams, children crying, people hyperventilating and some fans being handcuffed.
“This is unacceptable,” said Gustavo Márquez, an Argentinian fan who traveled from Buenos Aires to Miami for the final.
“You believe that because they say they do big events, they can handle this, but we were wrong. There is no way they are hosting a World Cup with an organization like this,” he told Newsweek in Spanish.
Fans broke through the railings, so many filing in that security scanners rocked back and forth from the force. Hundreds of attendees, some with tickets costing as much as $3,000, couldn’t get in because of the chaos. Some who were able to get in complained that other fans without tickets had taken their seats.
Large crowds of fans try to enter the stadium amid disturbances prior the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium.
Large crowds of fans try to enter the stadium amid disturbances prior the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium.
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“It is tough to explain what happened before the game,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni. “We had players waiting for their family members to get into the stadium, waiting for an hour. We had to start a match without knowing where our family members were. I think the players for Colombia were going through the same thing. It was very weird.”
Hard Rock Stadium issued a statement after the game’s conclusion, saying that it worked in collaboration with CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, the soccer authorities from South America, North America, and the Caribbean, and local law enforcement agencies for the Copa America final. They said there were “more than double the personnel” than the stadium has for a regular event.
“We understand there are disappointed ticket holders who were not able to enter the stadium after the perimeter was closed,” the stadium said, “and we will work in partnership with CONMEBOL to address those individual concerns.”
A police officer carries an unconscious fan the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 14, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
A police officer carries an unconscious fan the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 14, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
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Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava issued a statement saying county police provided more than 550 officers for the game and that they were “outraged by the unprecedented events at tonight’s Copa America finals.”
The Hard Rock Stadium will play host to seven matches at the 2026 men’s World Cup — four in the group stage, a round-of-32 game, a quarterfinal, and the third-place playoff.
‘They are not ready’
“It is obvious they’re not ready for an event like this. They should not have brought this tournament to the United States. I cannot imagine how the World Cup is going to be if things like this keep happening,” said Roberto, one Colombian fan who waited for three hours to get inside the stadium.
The game eventually kicked off almost one hour late, with hundreds of people watching from the corridors of the stadium, as Lionel Messi led his team to another international trophy.
Copa América championship game delayed 30 min because of fans entering without a ticket. Fans broke down walls to get into this stadium, gates at Hard Rock Stadium have been breached, officials literally chasing supporters throughout the stadium, people getting into the game… pic.twitter.com/gI6zt2Cgb3
— Ivano Panetti (@ivanopanetti) July 15, 2024
The drama of the Copa final was the latest issue in a troubled tournament in the United States. Two years ahead of the World Cup, the Copa was meant to be something of a practice run. However, many now question if the U.S. is ready to handle the millions of soccer fans who will travel for the tournament in two years.
Young fans of Argentina cry as they enter the stadium amid disturbances outside the stadium prior to the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 14,…
Young fans of Argentina cry as they enter the stadium amid disturbances outside the stadium prior to the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 14, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
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Prior to the semifinal, there was a security incident between Colombian fans invading a section of the stands where the families of Uruguay’s players were seated, prompting players to intervene to protect their loved ones. Darwin Nuñez, the Uruguayan striker, went to punch a fan, only to be knocked out by a jab from an angry supporter.
Security is not the only problem. With thousands of fans traveling from all over the world, transportation to the stadiums has already been identified as a major concern ahead of 2026.
Unlike in many cities in Latin America and Europe, American stadiums big enough to host such an event tend to be outside the central business districts of cities.
The distances are often long and there are not many available options for public transportation to reach the venues. On Sunday, Uber and taxi drivers were charging fans up to $200 to bring them from the Hard Rock to Miami Beach. No buses were available.
At MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the World Cup Final will be held, fans at a recent Copa semifinal match faced difficulties getting to the venue, which is accessible by commuter rail from nearby Manhattan. Large crowds waited on NJ Transit platforms, leading to short delays and congestion that cascaded through the region’s rail service.
Asked about these challenges, Newsweek contacted the New York New Jersey 2026 World Cup Host Committee. The committee said it is confident that the 80,000-seat MetLife will be ready for the 2026 final, citing transportation improvements made in the past few years.
‘A plague of liars’
Prior to the third-place kickoff, Uruguay’s soccer coach Marcelo Bielsa roasted the organizers of the Copa in a press conference that upset many officials of CONMEBOL. Bielsa called the organizers “a plague of liars” and expressed his disdain for the condition of the soccer fields. He argued that the poor quality of the grass was detrimental to the players’ performance and safety, and questioned the measurement of the fields.
Six of the 14 venues installed temporary natural grass fields specifically for the tournament to meet the requirements for international soccer matches, including MetLife Stadium.
For Copa America, matches were played on the smallest pitch size permitted for an international event: 109 by 70 yards. This size is suitable for children, but not typical for professional clubs.
Argentine players enter the field before the Copa America 2024 semifinal match between Argentina and Canada at MetLife Stadium on July 9, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Argentine players enter the field before the Copa America 2024 semifinal match between Argentina and Canada at MetLife Stadium on July 9, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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It will be a different story when the men’s World Cup comes to the U.S. For the tournament, FIFA regulations state that all matches must be played on natural grass fields, and artificial turf surfaces are not allowed. Also, all the venues will have to comply with FIFA’s strict regulations around pitch size—a playing surface that is 105m x 68m, with a significant run-off area.
At some stadiums, that means seats will need to be removed and major construction work carried out in advance. At MetLife, the work has already begun at a cost of $16 million.
With the Copa finished, the logistical challenges that surrounded this year’s tournament has undoubtedly surfaced concerns over the United States’ readiness to host the world’s largest single sporting event.
Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas said amid the chaos ahead of Sunday’s final: “This is not a good look. I understand this is not a good look for CONMEBOL. Because it is happening on our watch, in our country, it’s not a good look for the U.S. less than two years out from the World Cup.”
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Source link : https://www.newsweek.com/copa-america-argentina-colombia-final-chaos-fifa-world-cup-2026-1925349
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Publish date : 2024-07-15 13:46:06
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