Fears over 2026 World Cup after dangerous crowd scenes mar Copa America final
Miami officials have pledged to review safety arrangements at the Hard Rock Stadium – a venue for the next World Cup – after fans were crushed at the Copa America final on Sunday.
Kick-off was delayed by more than an hour because of the disorder, which was blamed on hundreds of supporters without tickets trying to enter the 65,000-capacity arena.
Footage showed Colombia and Argentina fans crying and distressed as a crush built up at one of the stadium entrances, causing a barrier to collapse.
The incidents have raised concerns around the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, where some games are due to be played at the Miami venue.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and chief public safety officer James Reyes said “this situation should have never taken place and cannot happen again”.
They added that they would “ensure that a full review of tonight’s events takes place immediately to evaluate the full chain of events, in order to put in place needed protocols and policies for all future games”.
Argentina won the final 1-0 thanks to an extra-time goal from Tottenham’s Giovani Lo Celso, having seen star man Lionel Messi limp off earlier in the contest.
The match was delayed by a total of 75 minutes as organisers closed gates in an attempt to prevent ticketless fans from rushing the entrances.
“Thousands of fans without tickets attempted to forcibly enter the stadium, putting other fans, security and law enforcement officers at extreme risk,” stadium bosses said.
Video from outside the Hard Rock Stadium, home to NFL franchise the Miami Dolphins, appears to show some fans trying to enter via ventilation shafts.
It is the latest controversy at the Copa America, which is traditionally played in South America but is being used as an unofficial dry run for eight 2026 World Cup venues in the US.
A decision to extend the half-time interval from 15 to 25 minutes to accommodate a performance by Colombian singer Shakira provoked criticism from coaches.
It follows Uruguay players including Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez becoming embroiled in violence with Colombia fans after wading into the stands to retrieve family members after the semi-final.
