Copa America chaos raises questions about US readiness for 2026 World Cup

Sunday's Copa America soccer final between Argentina and Colombia created chaotic scenes at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium and is raising questions about the United States' readiness to co-host the 2026 World Cup.

The stadium, home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins and with a capacity of more than 65,000, was overwhelmed as ticketless fans rushed through the gates, scaling security railings and air vents to get inside.

Facilities and barriers were damaged, ticket-holding fans were forced from their seats by non-paying crowds, and the match was delayed for more than 80 minutes, ending after midnight with an Argentine victory over Colombia. (A halftime show was also added this year, a first for the league, further prolonging the event.)

“It was, without a doubt, not just an embarrassment, it was absurd,” said Anjali Bal, an associate professor of entertainment and sports marketing at Babson College.

Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert said at a news conference Monday that police are working with promoters and the stadium to ensure the incident does not happen again.

“We put on big events. Well, I've never seen anything like what I saw last night and we're not going to see that again,” Gilbert said.

A total of 27 arrests were made, including that of the president of the Colombian Football Federation, Ramón Jesurún, and his son, accused of assaulting three security guards who prevented them from accessing the field, according to the arrest report.

The Miami-Dade Fire Department said it responded to a total of 120 incidents in and around the stadium, 116 of which were medical calls.

“The only thing that's fortunate here is that nobody died, but a lot of people seem to be in a very difficult situation, and it was entirely avoidable,” Lee Berke, CEO of LHB Sports, Entertainment & Media, told CNBC.

The debacle quickly raised questions about U.S. readiness for major soccer events just two years before a global event.

The United States will host 78 of the 104 World Cup matches as a co-host of the tournament in 2026, along with Canada and Mexico. The tournament final is scheduled for MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and Hard Rock Stadium, where the Cup final turned chaotic, will host seven matches, including the third-place game.

Chief among the criticisms was what some say was a lack of security controls and an outer perimeter to stem the flow of traffic into the stadium.

“I think the tournament organizers did not adequately prepare to handle the large crowds that would gather at the stadium,” Berke said.

The South American football confederation, CONMEBOL, criticized Hard Rock Stadium in a press release on Monday, saying stadium officials had not taken into account safety recommendations made by the confederation.

Hard Rock, for its part, said it “implemented, and in many cases exceeded, CONMEBOL's safety recommendations.”

While this is not the first World Cup the United States has hosted (the country first took over hosting duties in 2016), for many, this tournament was seen as a warm-up for the 2026 World Cup.

“Some of the fears are unfairly pinned on an event that will take place two years from now, but that's really the only good thing I can say,” Bal said. “When there are so many problems in the dress rehearsal, that doesn't bode well for the production.”

An estimated 5 million fans will travel to the 16 host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico during the 38-day tournament, according to Sports Business Journal.

Berke said he believes the United States is well equipped to handle that volume and that FIFA will handle the situation well.

“This country has a huge amount of experience in hosting events; there is probably no more capable country on Earth, with the right people and organizations to know how to host games and keep fans safe,” Berke said. “If that experience is used, I am sure the World Cup will be a great success.”

Bal said the setbacks during the World Cup could provide a roadmap for a successful 2026 World Cup.

In addition to concerns about the safety of the final, several American stadiums also came under fire for problems with the turf installed at American football stadiums that hosted pre-tournament matches. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni told reporters at a post-match news conference last month that the fields were not in good condition and were not fit for the players.

“If we look at it like we've seen all the problems and now we have teams that will take care of the grass and teams that will take care of security… then I think we can solve it,” Bal said.