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Copa America Crowd Control Issues: How Can USA Manage FIFA World Cup Crowds in 2026?

Photo of Rachel Glazer Rachel Glazer15/07/2024 - 11:15 am
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JULY 14: Large crowds of fans try to enter the stadium amid disturbances prior to the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 14, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Copa America 2024, held in the USA, concluded with a thrilling final between Colombia and Argentina. While the match delivered on excitement, ending in a 1-0 Argentina win, the event was disfigured by significant crowd control issues that delayed the start. This has raised concerns about the USA’s preparedness for hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2026. The final, held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Flordia saw over 65,000 fans in attendance, and the chaotic scenes outside the venue emphasized the challenges of managing such large-scale events.

Copa America Final Delayed

Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 in the Copa America final despite a significant delay caused by crowd issues. Many fans, a majority sporting Colombian colors, were jumping security railings and running past police, leading to a stadium lockdown and a delay of over 75 minutes.

After the lockdown security re-opened the gates and planned to let fans in slowly and safely but the rowdy crowds continued, breaking through fences and passing ticket scanners.

Fans used any means necessary to enter, with some fans even crawling through air vents to gain entry into the stadium.

An estimated 7,000 fans entered the stadium without tickets, barring fans who had purchased tickets to the event from the stadium after the gates had been sealed off.

The whole ordeal also caused overcrowded isles, seating, and walkways creating major safety concerns. The stadium had reportedly doubled its usual security personnel but still faced challenges managing the large and unruly crowd.

Unruly Crowds at Copa America Semi-Final

The Copa America final was not the only game where venues faced crowd control issues, following Uruguay’s 0-1 loss to Colombia in the Copa America semifinals, an altercation broke out behind Uruguay’s bench. Behind the bench were unruly fans as well as the families of many of the Uruguay players. After sensing issues in the crowd, a handful of Uruguay players decided to enter the stands to protect their families and peaceful fans from harm. This came after a highly physical and emotional soccer game with 7 yellow cards and 1 red card.

One of the players to enter the stands was Darwin Núñez, who left the field to defend his family from drunk fans. Núñez proceeded to engage in a fight with some of the drunk fans, throwing a few punches before the crow calmed down. It was thought that Núñez and other players would be suspended from playing in the 3rd place game against Canada. However, the verdict was delayed until after the game, allowing Uruguay to overthrow Canada in penalties after a 2-2 Draw.

Ronald Araujo, Rodrigo Bentancur, Sebastian Caceres, Jose Gimenez, Emiliano Martinez, Santiago Mele, Darwin Núñez, Mathias Olivera, Facundo Pellistri, Brian Rodriguez, and Matias Vina are all being investigated.

Concerns for World Cup 2026

The events of the 2024 Copa America have highlighted many issues, including playing surface complaints, and safety and security concerns. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, the USA must address these issues to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for the millions of soccer fans expected to flock to North America.

The USA needs to implement advanced technologies to expedite entry procedures. This along with increasing the number of entry points and adequately staffing them will help manage the flow of fans more efficiently.

Ensuring quick response times for medical and security emergencies is highly important. Many people at the Copa America final were injured from the large crowds and some suffered exhaustion from the hot Florida temperatures. Improving the number and effectiveness of First Aid for the World Cup is paramount.

Ensuring fans are aware of stadium policies, entry procedures, and available services before the event may also help manage expectations and reduce confusion. Engaging with fan groups or players and leveraging their influence to spread important information may be very beneficial.

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Photo of Rachel Glazer Rachel Glazer15/07/2024 - 11:15 am