Argentina vs. Colombia Copa America Final Delayed Due to Crowd Maintenance Issues

The 2024 Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia has been delayed due to crowd maintenance issues.

Prior to kickoff, which was originally scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, fans rushed the entry gates at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, overwhelming staff members. Kickoff was pushed back to 9:20 p.m. ET.



Miami-Dade Police released a statement after the chaos unfolded:

“We have had several incidents prior to the gates opening at Hard Rock Stadium for the Copa America final game. These incidents have been a result of the unruly behavior of fans trying to access the stadium. We are asking everyone to be patient, and abide by the rules set by our offices and Hard Rock Stadium personnel. We are actively working with Hard Rock Stadium to ensure a safe environment for all those attending. Unruly behavior will get you ejected and/or arrested. We have a ZERO TOLERANCE behavior against unruly conduct from everyone attending.”


      Plenty of criticism has been lobbied at this year’s host nation, the United States. Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa recently called out how poorly the fields have been maintained.



On Sunday, fans spoke out about how much of a “disaster” the tournament's organization has been.

  The scenes outside the venue revealed fans without tickets rushing through turnstiles and finding unconventional ways of entry. Some players' families were reportedly among those prevented from entering as stadium security attempted to control the situation.  


The match has been a highly-anticipated affair considering that it could potentially be the final international match for superstar Lionel Messi, who will start Sunday’s final.

According to DraftKings, Argentina is the odds-on favorite to win +115, while Colombia is the underdog at +320.