Club World Cup Security Overhaul after Last Year’s Ticketless Fan Incident
Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, will have an extensive police presence throughout the remainder of the Club World Cup this month, as the city looks to avoid a repeat of the near-deadly incident that resulted in 26 arrests last year. The 2024 Copa America final saw a swarm of ticketless fans rush the gates for the match between Argentina and Colombia, leaving fans terrified and bloodied as security struggled to contain the crush as they attempted to break in.
Videos showed some fans trying to climb through air vents to gain entry. Police had to lift distressed children over barriers to avoid them being crushed, while officers tackled to the ground the ticketless fans they could catch in a forlorn attempt to keep the hoards at bay. But things are different this summer.