The Argentine and Colombian fans’ passion for their national soccer teams was palpable long before kickoff of the Copa America final at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday night, but some fans were so desperate to get in that they stormed gates and breached security, forcing police to lock down the entrances temporarily.
Kickoff was delayed from 8 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. as a result, as thousands of fans were stranded outside the gates, waiting to get in. At one point, with a growing concern for a potential stampede that could injure fans, stadium management, CONMEBOL and the Miami Dade Police Department conferred and decided to open the gates and let people in without checking tickets.
“In collaboration with CONMEBOL and law enforcement officers, a decision was made to open the stadium gates for a short period of time to all fans in order to prevent stampedes and serious injury at the perimeter,” said a Hard Rock Stadium spokesperson. “There was serious concern of fans being crushed in order 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.”
Once the crowd quelled, security guards resumed checking for tickets.
“In anticipation of tonight’s Copa America final, thousands of fans without tickets attempted to forcibly enter the stadium, putting other fans, security and law enforcement officers at risk,” read a statement from a Hard Rock Stadium spokesperson. “Security has shut the gates in order to control the entry process at a much slower rate and ensure everyone is kept safe.
“As a result, the match start time has been delayed until further notice to accommodate for ticketed fans to be able to enter safely. All fans without tickets MUST leave the Hard Rock Stadium premises. It is paramount to a successful and safe match.”
Tickets to the highly anticipated match were selling for $1,500 to $8,000. South Florida is home to more than 300,000 Colombian and Argentine immigrants, making the tickets in high demand.
Both sets of fans, among the most fun-loving in Latin America, partied side by side without incident in the parking lots for hours all afternoon, singing, dancing and posing for photos together. But once it was time to wait in line in the sweltering heat to go through security lines and enter the stadium gates, video on social media showed fans breaking through and then being grabbed and apprehended by police and security guards.
“A bunch of fans stormed one of the gates and went into the stadium while the stadium was still closed,” said Detective Luis Sierra of the Miami-Dade Police Department.
As of 7 p.m., Sierra said several people had been detained but did not have an exact number.
Soon after, the police department tweeted: “We have had several incidents prior to the gates opening at Hard Rock Stadium for the Copa America final game. These incidents have been the result of the unruly behavior of fans trying to access the stadium. We are asking everyone to be patient, adding that there was a “ZERO TOLERANCE” policy for unruly conduct. “Unruly behavior will get you ejected and/or arrested,” the department warned.
Photos and videos emerged later on social media of Colombian fans scaling a stadium wall to get into the building and others climbing in through some sort of vent.
The incident comes amid heightened security at the Copa America tournament following a postgame brawl at Wednesday’s semifinal between Colombia and Uruguay at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Uruguayan players, claiming their family members were being attacked and bullied by Colombian fans, climbed into the stands and a fight ensued.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni had urged fans to behave leading up to the final game.
“The final game should be a party centered around the joy of playing to winning a title,” Scaloni said. “Those images [from the brawl] were very ugly and sad. Anybody who was in that situation would have reacted the same way, seeing your family members, wives, kids, mothers, in danger. We ask our players to be good role models, but when they see their family in that situation, it is natural to react the way those young men did.”
Scaloni said when he was a player for Argentina, they faced a similar situation at Maracana Stadium in Brazil and went into the stands to protect their loved ones.
“I hope nothing like that happens Sunday, from the bottom of my heart,” Scaloni said. “May the fans of Colombia and Argentina enjoy this event. We will all have friends and family there and don’t want to have to worry if something will happen to them. Those images were like something from 50 years ago and should not be happening.”
The mother of Argentine player Alexis Mac Allister told TyCSports that her son had to leave the locker room before the game to help the family enter the stadium. She called the situation “inhumane.” There were reports and photos of women and children crying and suffering from heat exhaustion in the crowded entryways.
The pregame security breach at Hard Rock Stadium Sunday night marred what had been a festive atmosphere leading up to the match between defending champion Argentina, led by Inter Miami star Lionel Messi, and resurgent Colombia, led by James Rodriguez.
An estimated 7,000 Colombians showed up outside Le Meridien hotel in Dania Beach on Saturday night to celebrate the team, which was staying there. They played music, danced, and set off fireworks at the banderazo (pep rally) as the players waved from the hotel entrance.
South Florida’s Argentine neighborhoods and restaurants were awash in sky blue and white for days.
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