The start of the Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia was delayed after crowd issues and fans breaching security gates.
Hours before the 8pm (local time) scheduled kick-off at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, fans were seen jumping over security railings and climbing fences to get in.
Videos posted on social media also showed fans – some of whom are believed to not have had tickets – running past police officers and stadium attendants while screams could be heard in the background.
One young Argentinian fan was let inside the gate crying hysterically as the man who was with him and a police officer tried to comfort him.
Officers were able to push the crowd back behind the gates and lock down the entrance so no one else could get inside.
The Hard Rock Stadium in Florida is one of the sites of the 2026 World Cup. Pic: AP
They began to slowly let fans into the stadium at 8.10pm for a rescheduled 9.15pm kick-off, but some supporters once again rushed the entrance, breaking railings and rocking security scanners back and forth.
Three police officers were seen placing one fan with a Colombia flag in handcuffs on a ramp leading to the stadium’s seats.
The breach sparked particular concern among fans as the Hard Rock Stadium is one of the host sites for the 2026 World Cup – which will be set in venues across the US, Canada and Mexico.
Police detain a fan. Pic: Sammbonu/Reuters
One Argentinian fan named Claudio, who spoke of not being able to breathe as police attempted to subdue the chaos, said: “They can’t organise a World Cup! It’s impossible.”
Players finally returned to the pitch to warm up 40 minutes after the scheduled start, with the match eventually getting under way more than an hour and 15 minutes late.
During the tense match, which saw Lionel Messi injured halfway through, Argentina emerged 1-0 winners after a goal by Lautaro Martinez in the 112th-minute – a record-breaking 16th title in the tournament for the team.
Pic: AP
‘This cannot happen again’
In a joint statement released during the match on the disruption, 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 said they will work with stadium leadership to “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”.
Fans from both sides were pictured gathered at the gates of the stadium. Pic: AP
More than 550 officers had been assigned to the stadium before the match, which was expected to draw a crowd of 65,000.
Miami-Dade County’s police department said earlier on Sunday that there were “several incidents” before the gates opened at the stadium, putting it down to “unruly behaviour”.
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Similar scenes also broke out at Wembley Stadium in 2021 after a number of ticketless supporters breached external barriers and the turnstiles for the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy.