Copa America chaos sparks questions over 2026 FIFA World Cup security in Vancouver

Questions are being raised about safety at BC Place for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, just days after a complete security failure before the Copa America Final in Miami.

Sunday’s game between Colombia and Argentina was delayed for nearly an hour after fans flooded into the stadium, pushed past security, and were even seen climbing through vents to get inside.

Jamie Dodd and Mike Halford spoke about the concerns being raised on Monday’s episode of Halford and Brough on Sportsnet 650.

“At a certain point, the security, it seemed like they just gave up,” Dodd said.

“They weren’t prepared,” Halford said, adding that while the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami holds NFL games, Copa is a “different level.”

“This stadium’s hosted Super Bowls, it’s not as if they were like, ‘Wow, there’s fans here!'”

Video posted on social media showed fans, mostly wearing Colombia’s yellow and red colors, jumping over security railings near the southwest entrance of the stadium and running past police officers and stadium attendants. Screams could be heard in the background.

A handful of people could be seen receiving medical treatment and asking for water in the sweltering South Florida heat. Officers were able to push the crowd behind the gates and lock down the entrance so that no one could get inside, although plenty of fans with tickets had already made it to their seats before then.

Dodd and Halford believe the issues seen on Sunday will directly affect all stadiums across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico when they host the World Cup in two years.

“Specifically, what BC Place is going to have to accomplish, and how high the bar is being raised, and how much more scrutiny there’s going to be now on a venue like BC Place in light of what happened on Sunday,” Halford explained.

“There were massive, massive crowd control issues. People were climbing through pipes. I’ve never seen that before,” he continued. “People were climbing over the barricades. People were climbing through the ventilation system about an hour prior to kickoff to try and infiltrate the stadium and largely being unstopped.”

Hard Rock Stadium issued a statement after the game, saying that the stadium “takes pride in hosting world-class events year-round in a safe and successful manner.”

The venue noted that it worked in collaboration with CONMEBOL, CONCACAF and local law enforcement agencies for the Copa America final. Security measures included an increase in the number of law enforcement officers and security at and around the stadium, with “more than double the personnel” than the stadium has for a regular event.

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“We understand there are disappointed ticket holders who were not able to enter the stadium after the perimeter was closed,” the stadium said, “and we will work in partnership with CONMEBOL to address those individual concerns. Ultimately, there is nothing more important than the health and safety of all guests and staff, and that will always remain our priority.

“We will continue to work with law enforcement to identify and hold criminals accountable who engaged in illegal conduct tonight. It is disappointing that a night of celebration was impacted by unlawful and unsafe behavior, and we will fully review the processes and protocols in place tonight and work with law enforcement to ensure such an event never happens again.”

In a statement to CityNews, BC Place said it is “collaborating closely” with key stakeholders, such as the city, province, and police forces in preparation for the FIFA World Cup.

“We have a long history of safe event delivery and are confident in the ability of our team and our partners to deliver a secure environment for fans,” spokesperson Jenny McKenzie said.

“While specifics of our security preparations are confidential, I can assure you that detailed plans are in progress for crowd management and venue security. FIFA is recognized for its world-class safety standards, and we are committed to meeting and exceeding these expectations through meticulous planning and preparation.”

Michael Ballard, the director of intelligence at Global Guardian, says there is a lot to learn from this situation. 

“It looked like they just didn’t have enough layers of access control. And the perimeter was right at the main entrance to the arena. And they didn’t have enough personnel either to maintain order. And once you had the rush of folks coming in, there just wasn’t a good way to stop it,” said Ballard.

He says security should be a priority for World Cup organizers in Vancouver. The “layers of access control,” Ballard explains, refer to checkpoint barriers that can interrupt the flow of uninvited crowds moving towards their destination.

“A lot of it’s about layering, right? Having a checkpoint and then a second, a third. And without those layers to A: keep people out that you don’t want in there: terrorists, criminals, otherwise; and B: make sure that there’s no risk of stampede or people being crushed to death,” said Ballard.

“Those are going to be top of mind for organizers in Vancouver.”

–With files from The Associated Press