Last night, mayhem broke out in a stadium close to Miami. To witness Argentina vs. Colombia in the Copa America final, thousands of soccer fans attempted to barge in. It overshadowed what ought to have been a fantastic day for soccer—the Copa final and Spain vs. England’s Euro 2024 championship. I’m joined now by Becky Sullivan, an NPR sports correspondent. Hello, Becky. SULLIVAN: Yes. In essence, tens of thousands of people—many of whom did not have tickets—crowded the area surrounding the stadium. In the end, authorities claimed that these supporters had entered the arena against their will. Videos depicting complete chaos, including people running around and pushing police trying to make way, people scaling fences and buildings, and so on, were shared on social media.
In the end, the stadium’s attendees chose to let people in rather than risk the perilous situation of a crowded throng. However, that also naturally resulted in tales of ticket holders showing up at their seats only to discover that someone else was already seated there, and some ticket holders eventually being denied entry altogether. In certain situations, they were hundreds of dollars worth of tickets.
PFEIFFER: So, the mayhem at this stadium in Florida was so intense that it made officials postpone Copa
SULLIVAN: Accurate. In essence, tens of thousands of people—many of whom did not have tickets—crowded the area surrounding the stadium. In the end, authorities claimed that these supporters had entered the arena against their will. Videos depicting complete chaos, including people running around and pushing police trying to make way, people scaling fences and buildings, and so on, were shared on social media.
In the end, the stadium’s attendees chose to let people in rather than risk the perilous situation of a crowded throng. However, that also naturally resulted in tales of ticket holders showing up at their seats only to discover that someone else was already seated there, and some ticket holders eventually being denied entry altogether. In certain situations, they were hundreds of dollars worth of tickets. For the tournament organizers, this is a complete disaster, and local authorities are stating that it just cannot happen again and that it should nPFEIFFER: And for the previous month, this competition has been held in stadiums around the United States, and this wasn’t…
SULLIVAN: Regretfully, not at all. I believe you are referring to the Uruguay vs. Columbia semifinal match. Following the match, there was a brawl in the stands close to the area where the families of Uruguay’s players, including little children and infants, had been seated. Players from Uruguay eventually entered the altercation. Players and the team’s coach later attacked the tournament’s organizers, which included American officials.
PFEIFFER: And for the previous month, this competition has been held in stadiums around the United States, and this wasn’t…
SULLIVAN: Regretfully, not at all. I believe you are referring to the Uruguay vs. Columbia semifinal match. Following the match, there was a brawl in the stands close to the area where the families of Uruguay’s players, including little children and infants, had been seated. Players from Uruguay eventually entered the altercation. Players and the team’s coach later attacked the tournament’s organizers, which included American officials. Because the USA is scheduled to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, there is a reason to monitor the behavior of these fans, even though it is unacceptable. All of this begs the question of how well-prepared we are to manage those throngs here.
PFEIFFER: Legendary Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi may be playing in his final significant international game
SULLIVAN: Accurate. He injured his ankle in the first half and then severely injured it in the second, so it was really difficult to watch. Finally, I had to sub out since I was unable to continue. The fans gave him a standing ovation, but the TV feed showed him crying on the sidelines. This guy, who has struggled with injuries frequently in the past few years, is usually very stoic. That also applied to the 2022 World Cup, I should clarify, but it didn’t prevent Argentina from winning that tournament, which is precisely what occurred last night.
For the first ninety minutes of the match, the score was 0 to 0. However, Argentina became more and more aggressive as the game went on. Colombia appeared increasingly worn out. Messi was ecstatic when Argentina attacker Lautaro Martinez eventually struck the net during extra time.