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On Monday, July 15, the start of the Copa America 2024 final between Argentina and Colombia got delayed by more than an hour after the fans clashed with security at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Following this, the breach at one of the main entry gates led to a few fans suffering from injuries and heat exhaustion, needing medical attention afterwards.
Notably, the fans weren’t allowed to enter the Hard Rock Stadium by the organisers after a clash between them and the security officials, two hours before the Copa America 2024 final kick-off. As the chaos ensued outside, both sets of players from Argentina and Colombia were taken off the field during the warmup time.
The official statement from the authorities at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami in regard to a brief lockdown read, “In anticipation of tonight's Copa America Final, thousands of fans without tickets attempted to forcibly enter the stadium, putting other fans, security and law enforcement officers at extreme risk. Security has shut the gates in order to control the entry process at a much slower rate and ensure everyone is kept safe. As a result, tonight's match start time has been delayed until further notice to accommodate for ticketed fans to be able to safely enter the stadium”
Fans damage Hard Rock Stadium; try to enter by illegal means
When the fans were eventually allowed to enter the Hard Rock Stadium, there was a massive rush, which caused the people at the front of the lines to get crushed by those behind them. A few of the fans needed urgent treatment from injuries and heat exhaustion suffered at the entry gates.
Ultimately, Argentina versus Colombia final in the Copa America 2024 kicked-off at 9:22 PM local time at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, 82 minutes after the scheduled start at 8:00 PM. The match went to extra time where Lautaro Martinez scored the winner for Argentina in the 112th minute, to ensure that they defended their Copa America title successfully.
