Chaos before Copa America final: Fans without tickets tried to enter Hard Rock Stadium

Moments of tension were experienced shortly before the beginning of the 2024 Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Hundreds of fans, mostly Colombians, tried to enter the stadium without a ticket, causing a considerable delay in the start of the match.

The situation became chaotic when ticketless fans began pushing and struggled with security barriers, while others tried to scale them. Police were forced to intervene to control the crowd and prevent further disturbances.

The incident caused a delay in the start of the match, which was scheduled for 8:00 p.m. local time.

2024 Copa America final postponed

The riots were sparked by fans without tickets trying to force their way into the stadium. The situation forced the intervention of the Miami-Dade County policewhich implemented measures to control the crowd and ensure the safety of attendees.

Both Conmebol and the Miami-Dade County Police have called for calm and respect for fans. They reiterated that only those with valid tickets will be allowed to enter the stadium once order is restored and access is enabled again.

Hundreds of fans, mostly Colombian, gathered outside the stadium trying to get in without a valid ticket. The situation turned chaotic when some of them forced open one of the entrance gates, overwhelming members of the security forces.

Given the lack of control and security, Conmebol decided to delay the start of the match by half an hour. The entrance gates remained closed for more than an hour while the authorities regained control of the situation.

Once the situation was deemed under control, all stadium gates were opened without any kind of checks. This allowed thousands of ticketless fans to enter Hard Rock Stadium, leading to a further delay in the start of the match.

Despite the delay, the 2024 Copa América final promises to be an exciting encounter. Argentina is looking to crown a historic cycle by lifting the triple crown, while Colombia dreams of winning its second continental title.

Di Maria’s farewell and the uncertainty about Messi’s future

For Argentina, this match will have a special flavour. Angel Di Maria, Messi’s squire and scorer of key goals in this cycle, will say goodbye to the Albiceleste after a decade of success. The possible retirement of Lionel Messi also creates uncertainty about the future of the national team.

Colombia is heading into the final hoping to break Argentina’s 28-year unbeaten streak. The Colombian team has shown a good level of play in the tournament and is relying on the skills of James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz to achieve glory.

The match is shaping up to be a duel of strategies between two great talents: Lionel Messi and James Rodríguez. Both players are key to their respective national teams’ offensive play and will be in charge of leading their teams to victory.