Global Soccer Fans Panic About 2026 World Cup Following Copa America Disaster, But The United States Isn’t At Fault

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The 2024 Copa America Final in Miami on Sunday, July 14 produced some truly shocking scenes after rogue and ticketless fans overwhelmed security and rushed the stadium.

Videos from the Copa America Final, which was ultimately delayed 75 minutes from 8:00 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. due to the situation at the stadium, saw fans storming security gates, hopping over walls, and even climbing through ventilation systems.

The images coming out of the Copa America Final in Miami understandably sent shock waves through the soccer world, with many left feeling aghast that the match was allowed to continue despite reports of paying ticketholders arriving at their seats only to find someone else in them and then be told by security that nothing can be done.

Some of the shock and vitriol, however, is being misplaced, as certain soccer fans are blaming the United States for what unfolded, directly tying a link to the country’s ability to host the World Cup — and the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey — in less than two years time.

The issue with that outlook, however, is that the Copa America is a South American tournament that’s run by CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation, and not the United States Soccer Federation.

“The Copa America final is organized by CONMEBOL and Miami-Dade Police Department provides security support, along with other law enforcement agencies,” Miami-Dade mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a statement. “Let’s be clear: This situation should never have taken place and cannot happen again. We will work with stadium leadership to ensure that a full review of tonight’s events takes place immediately to evaluate the full chain of events, in order to put in place needed protocols and policies for all future games.”

Not only does Hard Rock Stadium routinely host NFL and college football games, but it’s also put on concerts, F1 races, and the Super Bowl, all of which have unfolded largely without incident.

“Hard Rock Stadium, which is owned and operated by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, also has a SAFETY Act Designation from the Department of Homeland Security. The venue’s security measures, according to this designation, include ‘a comprehensive program comprised of threat and vulnerability assessments, security planning, physical and electronic security equipment, tools, emergency planning processes and procedures, and properly trained personnel, and which covers the entire Hard Rock Stadium property, including the seating bowl and suites, gates, loading dock, inner and secondary perimeters, field, locker rooms, areas housing utility and mechanical systems, command center, and parking areas.'” [via The Athletic]

The chaos caused by the lack of proper security shouldn’t come as a surprise given what took place between Uruguay and Colombia just days prior, as Uruguayan players spilled into the stands and were getting physical with fans due to reported attacks against members of their families.

Now, concerns about a uniquely American problem such as a mass shooting is a totally valid concern. But any doubts about the United States’ ability to host a tournament is beyond reproach given the low number of incidents in recent decades relative to the sheer number of sporting events there have been in that time.