Chaos in Copa America final delays game by 75 minutes and angers fans

Thousands of fans without tickets for the final between Colombia and Argentina attempted to invade the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The venue's security team and police were unprepared for what happened, resulting in a delay. Some invaders were injured and others detained.

The match, which was supposed to start at 9:00 p.m., was changed to 10:15 p.m., causing anger among fans present at the stadium and television viewers. Many people were caught trying to access the stadium through the ventilation shafts, and some intruders tried to steal journalists' credentials to get in with fake tickets. An unknown number of people managed to access the game and were never found again.

The stadium's official account published a note on Twitter/X, see the translation of the statement:

“In this Copa America final, thousands of fans without tickets tried to force their way into the stadium, putting other fans, security guards and police at extreme risk. The gates were closed to ensure greater control over entry and ensure everyone’s safety. As a result, the start of the match will be delayed so that fans with tickets can reach the stadium safely.

All fans without tickets must leave Hard Rock Stadium, this is essential for a good game and most importantly, for everyone's safety.''

– Hard Rock Stadium via Twitter/X.

Public reaction

The event caused a great deal of commotion on social media, with many viewers panicking over the delay in the game, as they had to work the next day (15). Conmebol professionals tried to remove the press from the venue, but were unsuccessful. Some fans were interviewed and expressed their outrage. An unidentified person by UOL stated: “This country cannot organize a World Cup. I've been to five World Cups and I've never seen anything like it.”

This lack of organization has never happened in a match in Brazil.

Featured Photo: Confusion at the entrance to Hard Rock Stadium. (Reproduction/G1/MeganBriggs)