WATCH : Wild scenes at Hard Rock Stadium as fans wiggle through ventilation ducts to watch Copa America final!

It was utter confusion and mayhem at Hard Rock Stadium ahead of the 2024 Copa America final. Argentina took on Colombia in Miami as Lionel Messi claimed his second Copa America title! However, his success was delayed by quite some time as officials and management struggled to keep the crowd in check ahead of kick-off. From fans jumping fences without tickets to running past security, the build-up to the game couldn’t have been more chaotic.

Snippets shared on social media show the actuality of the situation, as several fans attempted to get inside the stadium through the ventilation system! Amidst the chaos, authorities were forced to shut entry gates to the stadium, thereby forcing kick-off to be delayed by more than 80 minutes.

After security eventually managed to get a hold of the situation, fans had already turned against CONMEBOL and the management. Fans pointed at poor organization, lack of security and structure for games held in the USA.

However, the final that followed did not disappoint as Lionel Messi and co. successfully defended their Copa America crown. Messi, who was initially reduced to tears following an injury, ended up lifting the second Copa America trophy of his career at the end of extra time!

Fans call for 2026 FIFA World Cup to be shifted from the United States amidst chaos in Copa America final

In the aftermath of the confusion and delay prior to the Copa America final, a number of fans were left injured, bloodied and in urgent need of care. The fact that the Copa America final was forced to be delayed due to fans being unable to get into the stadium is a significant matter of concern.

As disarray thrived and panic fell in, fans made sure that they expressed their dissatisfaction and resentment at the way things were organized at Hard Rock Stadium. A group of fans insisted that the USA is nowhere ready to host a Copa America tournament let alone a World Cup! It was also reported that Argentine midfielder Alexis Mac Allister had to rush to the entry gate to assist his family through the confusion and possible stampede.

In other clips, police officials are seen physically attacking fans who tried to make a run into the stadium. In another video, the police resort to manually checking individual tickets and ‘throwing out’ defaulters one row at a time. As the 2024 Copa America comes to a close, celebrations will go long into the night, both at Buenos Aires and all over the world.

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