Thousands of fans without tickets surged security and tried to force their way into the stadium so the start of Sunday’s Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia was delayed by more than hour, organisers said.
Video shared on social media depicted security struggling with a wave of fans who sprinted across the concourses and tried to storm Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Police got control of the gates and sealed off, with hundreds left outside desperately trying to get in shortly before kickoff. The chaos swirled outside and both teams were brought off the field.
Some people were tossed out of the stadium by security staff, and some players mentioned that their families had been left trapped outside in its surrounds rather than make it into a venue which will host matches during the 2026 World Cup, according to a Reuters witness.
Kick-off was delayed four times by South American football’s governing body CONMEBOL — from 8:00 to 8:30 pm (23:00GMT), and then forward pre-game at the last minute until eventually playing started more than one hour later, with teams in position on the field for national anthems.
