Chaos erupted on Sunday after thousands of fans pushed through security gates to get into the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for the Copa America Final between Argentina and Colombia.
The Miami-Dade Police Department said that 27 people were arrested and 55 others were ejected from the stadium on Monday.
Video circulating on social media documented some of the chaos, including the moment fans jumped a fence at the stadium ahead of the highly-anticipated game. Other footage showed guests crawling through stadium shafts to get into the venue.
“Unruly fans” engaged in “illegal conduct” throughout the afternoon and evening, according to stadium officials. Guests tried to overpower security and law enforcement personnel at the stadium’s various entry points.
A strategic plan was in place to open and close numerous gates to allow guests to enter the stadium safely, officials said. Nonetheless, fans fought with police officers, broke down barricades, and vandalized property.
When it became apparent that it was not safe to start the game at 8 p.m., stadium staff and law enforcement decided to delay the game. Somehow, many fans, including those without tickets, had been allowed in.
“Shortly after 8 p.m., stadium officials, [the South American Football Federation], [The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football] and law enforcement officers communicated and decided to open stadium gates for a short period of time to all fans to prevent stampedes and serious injury at the perimeter,” the Hard Rock Stadium explained in a statement on X.
“The gates were then closed once the threat of fans being crushed was alleviated. During that time, the venue was at capacity and gates were not reopened.”
The move prompted many ticketholders, who paid around $2,000 per ticket, to be shut out of the game. Officials said they plan to address that issue. The president of the Colombian Football Federation and his son were among those arrested.
Ramón Jesurún Sr., 71, and Ramón Jesurún Jr., 43, were accused of attacking security guards following the loss to Argentina. They both face charges of battery on a specified official/employee, according to arrest reports.
The Miami Police Department assigned 550 officers to the stadium that day, including the Priority Response Team, according to the mayor.
“We are outraged by the unprecedented events at tonight’s Copa America finals,” Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Chief Public Safety Officer James Reyes said in a joint statement.
“Let’s be clear: This situation should never have taken place and cannot happen again,” the statement read.
The mayor also said he received briefings on plans to get everyone out of the stadium safely at the end of the game.
Sunday’s chaos prompted questions about sufficient security measures at the stadium. The venue, which holds 65,326 people, has committed to hosting seven World Cup Games in 2026.
“We are working with the event organizers to conduct a comprehensive review of all safety and security protocols, as we continue to prepare for the World Cup in 2026,” Miami-Dade Police Department chief public safety officer James Reyes said in the statement.