Miami Police Ready for Copa America Final After Last Match Ended With Players Attacking Fans

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Hard Rock Stadium will swarm with police Sunday for the Copa America finale after players with Uruguay’s team charged into the stands and battled Colombia fans following their semifinal match Wednesday at Charlotte, North Carolina.

Argentina meets Colombia in the finale of the global tournament and Miami-Dade police aim to prevent the violence that occurred at Bank of America Stadium, where Uruguayan players reportedly rushed into the stands at the end of the game to protect family members.

Videos of the incident showed Uruguay team members exchanging shoves and punches with Colombia fans, some who were throwing water bottles at the players. The chaos continued for more than a minute before order was restored.

The public information officer for Miami-Dade police, Detective Angel Rodriguez, told the Sun on Friday there will be sufficient personnel on hand to prevent a similar incident on Sunday. “Obviously, we’re aware of what occurred at the (Uruguay-Colombia) game,” he said. “Our homeland security bureau is constantly monitoring social media activity and looking into different ways to prevent incidents like that from happening here.”

The governing body of Copa America, Conmebol, opened an investigation into the incident. “We want to reaffirm and warn that no action will tolerated that tarnishes this global football celebration,” Conmebol said in a statement posted in Spanish on X. “It is unacceptable that an incident like this turns passion into violence.”

An enthusiastic crowd is expected at Hard Rock Stadium, where tickets for nosebleed seats are going for as much as $1,900, according to Ticketmaster.

Many fans will rally behind Argentina and its soccer legend, Lionel Messi, who made South Florida home after signing with Inter Miami CF a year ago.

Mr. Messi, who has been nursing a leg injury, netted his 109th international goal to power Argentina to a 2-0 semifinal victory over Canada before 80,102 fans at MetLife Stadium. Argentina enters the finale on a 10-game unbeaten streak and chasing its 16th Copa America title.

“It’s insane what this team has done, what the Argentina national team is doing,” Mr. Messi, 37, told reporters after Tuesday’s game. “For those who remain from the old guard, it’s beyond impressive that the national team is in another final.”

Mr. Messi’s appearance in the Copa America finale puts an exclamation point on his impact on soccer and South Florida since playing his first game for Inter Miami of Major League Soccer on July 21, 2023. From sellout crowds home and away for Inter Miami games to winning a Leagues Cup championship to millions of dollars in jersey sales, Messi Mania is thriving in South Florida.

“He’s had a significant impact emotionally and economically as well as providing a shot in the arm to the team,” the mayor of Fort Lauderdale, Dean Trantalis, told the Sun. “He’s been part of the community and a great addition to sports enthusiasts throughout South Florida. People come from other parts of the world to watch him play here. He’s definitely been a tourism draw.”

Argentina seeks its third major title to add to the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup. The only team with a similar streak is Spain, which won the European Championship in 2008 and 2012 and the 2010 World Cup. Spain, featuring Lamine Yamal, who turns 17 on Saturday, meets England in the 2024 Euro Championship on Sunday at Berlin, Germany.

If Mr. Yamal is the future of soccer, Mr. Messi is savoring what could be the final Copa America of his career. “We have to enjoy every moment of what we are living,” Mr. Messi said. “I’m conscious that these are the last battles.”

Miami-Dade Police wants to ensure the battles stay on the field, not in the stands. “We want the fans and the community to expect the presence of uniformed officers in addition to officers in plain clothes,” Detective Rodriguez said. “We’ll also have different specialized units that will be ready to mitigate conflicts that arise. Our department along with our local, state, and federal partners have been planning for this for quite some time. We’re prepared to ensure there are no issues or concerns regarding the Copa America game.”

Mr. Trantalis expects fans attending Sunday’s game to act appropriately. “I understand the unbridled enthusiasm that fans have win or lose,” he said. “But people need to be respectful of one another. That message needs to go out.”