Copa América final delayed in Miami as ticketless fans try to force entry, Hard Rock Stadium says

CNN
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Thousands of fans without tickets tried to force their way into the Copa América final on Sunday night, organizers said, delaying kick-off between Argentina and Colombia as security staff shut the gates at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The game eventually kicked off more than an hour and 20 minutes later than scheduled, with a sellout crowd expected at the 65,300-capacity stadium, where a tearful Lionel Messi was substituted midway through the second half with an apparent ankle injury at what is likely to be the 37-year-old’s last game at a major international tournament.

Argentina lead the game 1-0 after a Lautaro Martinez strike deep into extra time.

In a statement, a stadium spokesperson said the entry gates were closed after “thousands of fans without tickets attempted to forcibly enter the stadium, putting other fans, security and law enforcement officers at extreme risk.”

The gates were later reopened “for a short period of time to all fans in order to prevent stampedes and serious injury at the perimeter,” the spokesperson said in an update.

“There was serious concern of fans being crushed in an attempt 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,” the update said.

Photos and video from outside the stadium showed massive overcrowding, with visibly distressed women and children among thousands of fans stuck outside the gates. At least one photo showed fans falling on top of each other at an overturned crush barrier.

Video from CNN affiliate WSVN also showed some fans climbing the stadium walls in an attempt to gain entry.

It is unclear if any fans or security personnel were injured.

The Miami-Dade Police Department said several incidents took place as a “result of unruly behavior and fans trying to access the stadium,” and they were working with the venue to ensure a “safe environment for all those attending.”

“Unruly behavior will get you ejected and/or arrested. We have a ZERO TOLERANCE behavior against unruly conduct from everyone attending,” the police said in a statement on X.

CNN has reached out to the police for more information.

The disorder in Miami on Sunday come after Colombia’s semifinal win over Uruguay in Charlotte, North Carolina, was marred by unsavory scenes.

Tempers flared Wednesday after a testy match, when players from both squads clashed on the field before live television pictures showed Uruguayan players entering the stands and scuffling with fans.

This is a developing story and will be updated.