Fans rush the gates before the Copa America Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium. Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The U.S. is not to blame for Copa America security failures

By Austen Bundy | Last updated Jul 15, 2024 3:45 PM ET

Copa America 2024 concluded on a sour note, and that's not a reference to Lionel Messi's unfortunate injury in the final.

Security failures across multiple matches left a stain on not just the tournament but also, unnecessarily, on the reputation of U.S. Soccer ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The most significant incidents occurred July 10, when Uruguay players clashed with Colombia fans after their semifinal match, and on Sunday, when ticketless fans stormed security gates in Miami for the final.

Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas said during the match delay that the Miami chaos was "not a good look" for the U.S. ahead of it hosting the 2026 World Cup with Canada and Mexico.

"Not a good look for the US less than two years out of the World Cup." @AlexiLalas on the situation at Hard Rock Stadium ahead of the 2024 Copa América Final between Argentina and Colombia pic.twitter.com/LDOGaY6khk
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 15, 2024

Managers like Uruguay's Marcelo Bielsa and Colombia's Nestor Lorenzo also blasted the security failures and, in Bielsa's case, blamed the Americans for being poor hosts.

But what Lalas and the others fails to realize is U.S. Soccer had no control over Copa America's organization; it was purely a CONMEBOL operation. U.S. resources were, indeed, employed, but the blame does not lay at its feet.

This was also not just a United States problem; it is a football problem. Apple TV's Taylor Twellman made a good point on X on Monday, pointing out that the same fan-storming occurred in 2021 at Wembley Stadium ahead of the Euro final.

So while we blame whoever was in charge of the #CopaAmerica final and we should because it was not professional and subpar to say the least, let’s not forget the exact same thing happened at Wembley for the Euro Final in ‘21. It was unsettling to say the least to feel the…
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) July 15, 2024

When the World Cup arrives on North American soil, FIFA will be running the show in conjunction with U.S. Soccer, Canada Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation.

Higher security standards will be used, preventing the lackadaisical approach to Copa America, where unruly fans overpowered weak measures. Video shows gates were too easily breached and, incredibly, some fans tried to crawl through air vents to enter the stadium.

Dozens of fans climbed into an overhead ventilation system and over fences at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida to catch the Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia.

The match was delayed for more than an hour after thousands of fans without tickets rushed security and… pic.twitter.com/KFZYrXmPNr
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 15, 2024

The 2026 World Cup will not be a repeat of Copa America 2024. Stricter and more efficient security measures won't allow for the hooliganism displayed by fans this summer.

Venues will be better prepared, and stronger leadership from FIFA and North American federations should result in a better experience for all.

Austen Bundy

Austen Bundy is a journalist and sports junkie from the Washington, D. C. area

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