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The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens will implement an unprecedented security operation this Saturday for the match between Colombia and Portugal in Group K of the 2026 World Cup, a game that carries the memory of the chaos caused by Colombian fans during the final of the Copa América 2024.
According to a report by El Nuevo Herald, the last time Colombia played in that stadium, thousands of ticketless fans forced the doors, ignored security staff, and even crawled through the air conditioning ducts to enter the venue. The match was delayed for over an hour, 27 people were arrested, and another 55 were expelled. Police officers and security personnel were injured, and those who had paid between $1,500 and $8,000 for their tickets found their seats occupied by those who had entered without a ticket.
To prevent that scenario from happening again, the authorities established three perimeter checkpoints around the stadium where tickets will be verified before anyone can even approach the venue.
There will be no ticket sales or parking passes at the venue on the day of the event, and those wishing to follow the game without a ticket must do so away from the security perimeter.
The surrounding roads will also remain closed: the 2X exit of the Florida Turnpike in both directions and NW 199 Street between 14 Court and NW 27 Avenue, from five in the morning until eleven at night. Only vehicles with a previously acquired official pass will be able to cross the traffic checkpoints.
Taxis, Uber, and Lyft will be redirected to external areas, where passengers must board authorized buses. Miami offers free transportation from four locations: the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, Golden Glades, the Aventura Brightline station, and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Inside the stadium, only transparent bags measuring up to 12×6×12 inches, small purses up to 4.5×6.5 inches, and sealed water bottles of 20 ounces or less will be allowed.
The Miami-Dade Police Department's Rapid Deployment Force and the Broward County Police Quick Response Team are ready to respond to any incident. "If the situation escalates, we have prepared ourselves and are ready," stated Miami-Dade Sergeant Lázaro Rodríguez in a training video. "This prepares us to handle civil disturbances and situations with unruly fans."
The match also has a high sporting voltage. Colombia leads Group K with six points after victories against Uzbekistan (3-1) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1-0), while Portugal arrives with four points after drawing with the Congo and defeating Uzbekistan 5-0. Both teams are already qualified for the Round of 16, but the Portuguese need to win to take the top spot from the Colombians.
The duel between James Rodríguez and Cristiano Ronaldo has generated 30 million ticket requests, making it one of the most sought-after matches of the tournament. Those without a ticket will be able to follow it at the official FIFA Fan Festival, open until July fifth at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami.
The Hard Rock Stadium, with a capacity of 65,000 spectators, will host seven matches of the 2026 World Cup, including the quarter-finals and the third-place match.
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