Concerns are growing about how the United States will host the 2026 World Cup following the chaos that followed the Copa America final in Miami.
On the pitch, Lionel Messi’s Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 in extra time to win the Copa America on Sunday night, defending the title they won by beating Brazil in 2021. Lautaro Martinez scored the only goal of the game in the 112th minute, giving Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni a third consecutive international title.
But the final will be remembered in a bad light for the chaos that erupted before and during the game at Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, and what was described as a disaster.
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US authorities claim that hundreds of fans showed up to the Copa America final without tickets and tried to force their way into the stadium, which prompted CONMEBOL officials and police to close the gates around Hard Rock Stadium as well as all entrances to the stadium itself, authorities said.
A CONMEBOL statement said: “We inform you that those without a ticket will not be able to enter the stadium. As soon as access resumes, only those who have purchased a ticket will be allowed in. We inform you that the match has been postponed by 30 minutes and will now start at 8.30 pm local time.”
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But chaos continued and kick-off was eventually delayed until 9.15pm as fans slowly took their seats – but outside the stadium some were seen scaling fences and sprinting through turnstiles to get into the Copa America final.
Fans were also reported to have successfully evaded both police and security after gaining entry into Hard Rock Stadium. Miami-Dade Police issued a statement about the unrest, saying: “Several incidents occurred prior to the gates opening at Hard Rock Stadium for the Copa America final.”
“We ask that everyone remain patient and adhere to the rules set forth by security and Hard Rock Stadium officials. We are actively working with Hard Rock Stadium to ensure a safe environment for all attendees. Any disruptive behavior will result in removal and/or arrest. We have a zero tolerance policy for disruptive behavior from all attendees.”
The Hard Rock Stadium fiasco has raised questions about how well the United States will be able to host the World Cup in 2026, when the global event will invite many more teams and spectators. The U.S. joins Canada and Mexico as the first countries to host a 48-team World Cup.
Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the crowd chaos is the fact that Hard Rock Stadium is used as a venue for major sporting events, hosting a nonstop string of NFL games throughout the fall and winter from September through January.
But the shocking scenes prompted former U.S. men’s national team star and current commentator Alexi Lalas to describe the situation on Sunday night as “not a good situation for the United States.”
“This is not a good look,” Lalas told Fox Soccer. “I understand this is not a good look for CONMEBOL (the organizers of the Copa America) because this is happening on our watch, in our country. It is not a good look for the United States, with less than two years until the World Cup. I have no doubt that FIFA, the United States, Canada and Mexico will resolve this issue and make sure this doesn’t happen in the future.”