Latest news with #CONMEBOLCopaAmerica2024Final
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
FIFA Club World Cup: Hard Rock Stadium tightens security after chaotic scene at Copa America
Almost a year since the Copa America final nearly ended in tragedy, big numbers of football fans are back at Hard Rock Stadium — this time for the Club World Cup with heightened security. A combined crowd of nearly 120,000 supporters have watched the opening two games staged in Miami. They have been greeted by extra checkpoints and a heavy police presence. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office says lessons have been learned from July of last year when ticketless fans rushed the gates at the home of the Miami Dolphins for a match between Argentina and Colombia, leaving fans terrified and bloodied as security struggled to contain the crush. The match was delayed an hour, children were in tears and concerns were sparked ahead of two more years of major football tournaments being staged in the United States — the Club World Cup this summer and the men's World Cup in 2026. Large crowds of fans try to enter the stadium amid disturbances prior the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 14, 2024. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP This tournament is an early gauge as to how the U.S. will handle fans from 48 countries visiting next year's World Cup. There has been understandable focus on Miami after the shocking scenes at the Copa America when fans from a sellout crowd were too easily able to force their way into the 65,000-seat Hard Rock Stadium. 'We've put extensive measures in place to protect fans, players and staff,' Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said before the tournament. 'The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office is leading all security efforts for this global event.' Last year, police had to lift distressed children over barriers to avoid them being crushed, while elsewhere officers tackled to the ground the ticketless fans they could catch in a forlorn attempt to keep the hoards at bay. Videos showed some fans trying to climb through air vents to gain entry. Changes made over the past year mean fans for this tournament must pass through three separate checkpoints that enclose the entire campus before getting close to the stadium. Steel fencing is set up around the perimeter. First up is a ticket check at temporary gates, taking up large parts of the parking lot where tailgate parties might usually take place. Then comes another airport-style screening under tents where bags are checked by X-ray machines. Even flags need to be approved. ALSO READ | Injured and locked-out fans file first lawsuits over Copa America stampede and melee Fans were able to get much closer to the stadium before checkpoints at the Copa America. 'When I was at the final, the security guards just opened the gate and started letting people through,' Edison Negron, a Boca Juniors fan from Puerto Rico told The Associated Press when describing the scenes as fans crushed against the barriers last year. Miami-Dade County said at the time that a full review would be conducted and that the scenes 'cannot happen again'. 'There will be a significant law enforcement and security footprint in and around the stadium to ensure public safety for all the events,' Det. Argemis Colome told the AP while adding social media was being monitored prior to matches. Preparations have included special training for a rapid-deployment force as part of a multi-agency response to potential crowd trouble. 'If things go south, we get ready for civil unrest and unruly fans,' the Sheriff's Office said in a social media post. A large police presence has been evident at both games played at Hard Rock so far — Saturday's tournament opener when a crowd of more than 60,000 watched Inter Miami vs. Al Ahly and Monday's match between Boca Juniors and Benfica in front of nearly 56,000. Patrol cars have been stationed along the interstate outside of the stadium and, within the grounds, officers equipped with face shields and protective clothing are on patrol. FIFA said it had worked closely with stadium officials, state and federal agencies 'to ensure a robust security presence'. A 2-2 draw between Argentine giant Boca and Benfica of Portugal was the first match at the stadium involving a large number of travelling fans. FIFA said Boca was the first team to sell out tickets for its three group stage matches, with fans of the 35-time Argentine champion dominating the crowd. No major altercations were reported. Boca plays a second match at Hard Rock against Bayern Munich on Friday. While only so much can be drawn from two games that have been below capacity, the extra safeguards put in place have been evident, with, as of yet, no repeat of the chaotic scenes at the Copa America.
New York Post
06-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
NY/NJ World Cup Committee vows to keep crowds orderly at MetLife Stadium
The New York/New Jersey 2026 World Cup Host Committee is sending the message that scenes like the ones that occurred at the Copa America final in 2024 in Miami won't happen next year when the World Cup final takes place at MetLife Stadium. Alex Lasry, the head of the NY/NJ host committee, promised that the organizers would do everything to make sure that 'nothing like that' could happen when the home of the Jets and Giants hosts the biggest soccer match in the world in July 2026. 'People need to know that going to a game — children are going to be at these games — that everyone can feel safe and secure and know that they are going to a safe and secure environment,' Lasry told amNewYork in an interview published this week. Advertisement MetLife Stadium will host the 2026 World Cup Final. USA Today Sports The Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia was delayed more than an hour as fans without tickets rushed the gates at Hard Rock Stadium to 'forcibly enter' the venue and create a chaotic scene that overwhelmed stadium security and police. The wild turn of events led to 27 arrests and 55 ejections from the stadium. Advertisement Lasry called the dangerous scenes 'unfortunate,' but labeled them 'one-in-a-million' for a sporting event in the United States. The committee head acknowledged that the situation is one that they can '100 percent learn from,' and Lasry told the outlet that the security plan for matches at MetLife would keep ticketless fans from overrunning stadium staff. 'That doesn't mean that we shouldn't be taking all the precautions and ensure and taking lessons from that, but I've got all the faith and belief in the world in our security plan and our ticketing plan and ensuring that something like that's not going to happen,' Lasry said. 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, Fla. Getty Images Advertisement MetLife Stadium is scheduled to host eight World Cup matches in 2026, with the tournament culminating with the championship game taking place in New Jersey on July 19, 2026. The United States, Canada and Mexico are jointly hosting the 2026 World Cup that will wrap up an exciting run of soccer in North America. The U.S. hosted Copa America in 2024, will hold the Club World Cup this summer and then will have the World Cup next year. Local officials have estimated that the tournament will generate more than $2 billion for the region and bring millions of visitors into the area over the entire run of the World Cup.
