Crowd issues delay Copa América final between Argentina and Colombia

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Copa America closing between Argentina and Colombia was delayed greater than an hour on Sunday night due to crowd points.

Hours earlier than kickoff, followers appeared to breach the safety gates at Exhausting Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, one of many host websites of the 2026 World Cup.

Video posted on social media confirmed followers, largely sporting Colombia’s yellow and purple colours, leaping over safety railings close to the Southwest entrance of the stadium and working previous cops and stadium attendants. Screams could possibly be heard within the background.

A handful of individuals could possibly be seen receiving medical remedy and asking for water within the sweltering South Florida warmth. Officers had been capable of push the gang behind black gates and lock down the doorway in order that nobody might get inside, though loads of followers with tickets had already made it to their seats earlier than then.

One younger fan sporting an Argentina jersey was let contained in the gate crying hysterically as the person who was with him and a police officer tried to consolation him.

Officers appeared to open gates barely to permit solely a handful a followers in at a time, whereas different offended attendees pushed towards the railings.

Safety started letting followers reenter slowly round 8:10 p.m., with the brand new kickoff time set for 9:15 p.m., however the commotion didn’t cease. Followers continued to interrupt by means of the railings. They filed inside and began working in a number of instructions. Tickets didn’t seem like scanned. Some followers began climbing over fences to get in.

A fan named Claudio, who traveled to the sport from Mendoza in Argentina, spoke of not having the ability to breathe as police tried to subdue the chaos.

“They’ll’t set up a World Cup! It’s unimaginable,” Claudio stated in Spanish. “Individuals caught towards the gate for hours, unable to breathe. There was a senior citizen, have a look at him, have a look at him, left with out water,” he stated, motioning to his younger son. “No water, nothing.”

Miami-Dade County’s police division issued a statement on X following the incident, mentioning that there have been “a number of incidents” earlier than the gates opened on the stadium.

“These incidents have been a results of the unruly conduct of followers making an attempt to entry the stadium,” the assertion stated. “We’re asking everybody to be affected person, and abide by the principles set by our officers and Exhausting Rock Stadium personnel. We’re actively working with Exhausting Rock Stadium to make sure a secure surroundings for all these attending. Unruly conduct will get you ejected and/or arrested.”

Gamers took the pitch at about 8:38 p.m. to start warming up.

Exhausting Rock Stadium additionally issued an announcement, saying that “hundreds of followers with out tickets tried to forcibly enter the stadium.”

“All followers with out tickets MUST depart Exhausting Rock Stadium premises,” the assertion stated. “It’s paramount to a profitable and most significantly a secure match.”

A sellout crowd of greater than 65,000 was anticipated for the championship match of the South American event.

It isn’t clear which of the followers who gained entrance throughout the rushes had tickets to the match. CONMEBOL, South America’s governing physique, posted an announcement on X a day earlier than warning that followers should have tickets to even enter the parking zone of the venue.

The Related Press spoke with a number of individuals Sunday who had parked their vehicles within the parking zone of the stadium with out tickets to the match.

Standing close to a tent that stated “These with out entry” in Spanish was Víctor Cruz, an Argentina native of Mendoza who didn’t buy tickets.

“It doesn’t matter if we don’t go in, we’ll see it someplace,” stated Cruz, hours earlier than kickoff.

There have been individuals nonetheless ready to enter the sport who had acquired tickets, together with those that didn’t have tickets, all of whom had been held behind safety gates near the unique 8 p.m. ET begin time.

Copa America, in a submit on X Sunday night, stated that solely followers who’ve bought tickets would be capable of enter “as soon as entry is reopened.”