MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami’s mayor has joined the chorus of condemnation over the dangerous stampede of fans entering Hard Rock Stadium without tickets Sunday night for the Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia. Fans forced open doors, trampled people, climbed fences, ran through the ventilation system and vandalized an escalator while dodging police and security personnel.
“We are outraged by the unprecedented events at tonight’s Copa America Final,” read a joint statement from Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Public Safety Chief James Reyes. “The Copa America Final is hosted by CONMEBOL and the Miami-Dade Police Department is providing security along with other law enforcement agencies. Tonight, MDPD has assigned 550 officers to the stadium, including our Priority Response Team.”
“In addition, the MDPD has mobilized additional personnel from various jurisdictions to ensure the safety and well-being of all.”
The statement also said the mayor was briefed on plans to safely evacuate the stadium after the game, and that the incident will be reviewed to prevent future problems. Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium is scheduled to host seven World Cup games in 2026.
“Let us be clear: this situation should never have happened and cannot happen again,” the statement said.
Reactions from organizations, fans, players and media were strong and swift during and after the game. Horror and fear combined with calls for meaningful action before 2026.
“In collaboration with CONMEBOL and law enforcement, the decision was made to open the stadium gates for a short period of time to prevent stampedes and serious injuries at the perimeter,” a Hard Rock Stadium spokesperson said in a statement. “There was serious concern about the risk of crushing fans trying to enter. Law enforcement and security personnel were immediately deployed to the stadium and surrounding areas to ensure the safety of fans in this unprecedented situation.”
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