The chaos in Miami’s Copa America soccer tournament was a clash of civilizations

Two hours into my attempts to enter Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium for the highly anticipated Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia, it was clear I wasn’t going anywhere. Fans were growing frustrated, law enforcement was wearing thin, and kick-off was fast approaching.

Every time the gates opened briefly, a stampede of fans—ticket holders and nonticket holders—forced their way through unattended scanning systems. The scenes were chaotic. With two small children in tow, I couldn’t risk doing anything dangerous, so my wife and I decided to wait until a safe entrance was possible. That moment never came: the authorities closed the gates just before the start of the match, leaving us and many others standing outside with our overpriced tickets unused—and heartbroken.

Let’s be clear: None of this would have happened on Sunday without the thousands of ticketless vandals who went to extreme lengths to get into the continent’s biggest soccer match. This despicable and concerted act of villainy would have challenged even the most seasoned promoters. Unfortunately, those in charge of staging the final failed to live up to those standards. The result is a warning sign that American stadiums and cities should take seriously as the country prepares to co-host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. It’s also a reminder of how much South American soccer needs to improve if it wants to play in the big leagues of global sports entertainment.