Copa America faced another security embarrassment ahead of the tournament’s championship showdown between Argentina and Colombia — and this time, it happened before the match even started.
The start time was pushed back from 8:00 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. and the teams were pulled from the field after fans rushed the Hard Rock Stadium gates and climbed over fences, as well as through vents, to “forcibly enter” without tickets Sunday night, the venue said in an initial statement.
In another statement later in the night, according to USA Today, a spokesperson for the venue said that — eventually, and for a brief stretch — gates were opened “to all fans in order to prevent stampedes and serious injury at the perimeter. There was serious concern of fans being crushed in an attempt to enter.”
“Law enforcement and security personnel were immediately deployed throughout the stadium and surrounding area to keep fans as safe as possible in light of this unprecedented situation,” the statement continued. “We urge fans to listen to law enforcement and security personnel throughout the night for the safety of all in attendance.”
Argentina eventually defeated Colombia, 1-0, in extra time to secure its second consecutive Copa America title.
Video and reporting outside the stadium indicated that fans without tickets gained access to the grounds, delaying the ability of Hard Rock Stadium security to allow people with tickets into the venue and creating a dangerous situation.
Keep up with The Post’s coverage of Copa America’s wild final
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- Argentina wins second straight Copa America title in extra time with Lionel Messi injured
In one video posted by Sporting News, fans could be seen pushing toward one of the stadium’s entrances as police officers attempted to halt people from going through, and other videos showcased fans climbing into vents and over the ticket booths, along with other fences.
Fans wearing soccer jerseys could be seen sprinting by cameras, and at one point, one shirtless fan could be seen being grabbed by a uniformed officer.
Another video showed a more violent scene where police officers could be seen scuffling with fans as they tried to keep people from getting through one of the gates.
A post on X by one user showed officers chasing one fan up a staircase and arresting him before it cuts to other fans — presumably having entered without tickets — being detained.
A police spokesperson told The Athletic that there were multiple arrests for battery on a police officer as well as trespassing.
Miami-Dade Police acknowledged there were several incidents ahead of the Copa America final.
“These incidents have been a result of the unruly behavior of fans trying to access the stadium,” a statement from police read. “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. We have a ZERO Tolerance behavior against unruly conduct from everyone attending.”
Eventually, though, the match began, and videos surfaced of the stands and aisles appearing packed, with police officers sifting through the crowd to check tickets and remove spectators who didn’t have one.
This all created another nightmare with temperatures in Miami reaching as high as 88 degrees, according to The Athletic, and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue had to set up stations for people dealing with heat exhaustion.
The chaotic scene came just days after Copa America suffered a separate black eye when a lapse in security led to family members of the Uruguayan team being confronted by Colombian fans at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte and players rushing into the stands to defend them.
The incident led to harsh criticism from Uraguay coach Marcelo Bielsa toward the tournament’s organizers and raised security concerns heading into the Copa America final.
