COPA America Class Action: Fan Sues Over $10,000 Ticket Debacle

A Texas soccer fan is suing after being denied entry to the COPA America final despite having purchased expensive tickets. The lawsuit blames the organizers' negligence for the chaos and lack of security that led to unticketed fans entering the stadium while ticketed fans were left out.

Consumers Affected: Ticket holders denied entry to the COPA America final.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division.

A Texas soccer fan is suing Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, the football federations of the Americas, and a security company after he was denied entry to the COPA America final between Colombia and Argentina, despite having paid almost $10,000 for tickets. 

The lawsuit alleges his loss came down to the organizers’ “failure to implement adequate security protocols that resulted in mass chaos, injuries, and ultimately, the Defendants’ decision to open the stadium to thousands of unticketed fans” who effectively stole the seats of ticketed fans who were locked out.

On its opening page, the lawsuit quotes South Florida Police Benevolent Association Police Union President Steadman Stahl, who said “it was a life-or-death situation. Let the people get crushed or open the gates. Then it became total mayhem in there. It was a calamity of errors on all levels.”

Fans Locked Out of Copa America Final Despite $10,000 Tickets

Das Nobel filed the proposed class action lawsuit against South Florida Stadium LLC (Hard Rock Stadium), tournament organizers Confederación Sudamericana De Fútbol (CONMEBOL), and Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), and BEST Crowd Management, Inc., which was hired as the events security, accusing them of negligence and unjust enrichment.

Nobel, his wife, and two children, are all longtime football fans and followers of football legend Lionel Messi. Because of that, Nobel paid $9,948.96 for the four tickets to the game, plus $4,587.87 for a hotel, and $10,000 for flights. Arriving at Hard Rock Stadium the night of the final, Nobel was “surprised to find that the area surrounding the stadium was already in complete mayhem.”

He said thousands of fans were tailgating in the area, vendors were selling alcohol, no one was checking tickets, and there was no security or barricading in sight. Thousands, including many families with young children, were gathered at the southeast entrance, where Nobel and his family were supposed to enter, but the gates were locked. 

The game was delayed multiple times due to security issues, but at no stage did anyone check Nobel or anyone else in the area’s tickets, he said. Nobel “witnessed dozens of fans climbing onto a store front and breaking into the stadium, scaling fences, and throwing backpacks over.”

The game eventually kicked off, and with the gate still locked, temperatures soaring into the 90s, families struggling to stay on their feet, staff refusing to give first aid or communicate whether the gate would ever be opened (which it wasn’t), Nobel and his family decided to leave the stadium to catch the end of it on TV at their hotel, the lawsuit alleges. 

“At some point, the ticketed and unticketed fans amassed to the point where Defendants were concerned that fans would be severely injured. As a result, the Defendants decided to open the stadium gates and permitted unticketed fans to avoid metal detectors and to enter the stadium without tickets,” the lawsuit alleges.

What unfolded was astonishing, Nobel said, “bloodied fans, parents protecting children from criminal acts, fans assaulting each other, stadium staff and local police,” and he lays the blame squarely at the organizers’ feet, the lawsuit alleges. 

The defendants, he alleges, failed to implement a security plan; hire enough security staff; establish a perimeter, ticketed checkpoints, barriers and fences; permit parking and watch parties; and more, as well as knowingly letting unticketed fans in at the expense of those with tickets.

What is Copa America and Why Was This Final So Chaotic?

The Copa America Tournament, first held in 1916, is the top football tournament among national teams from South America, and it now includes some select teams from Central and North America. 

The tournament has typically been organized by CONMEBOL, the continental governing body of soccer in South America and the oldest confederation in the world. Given North and Central Americas’ involvement in this year’s tournament, and the fact it was held in the United States, football federation Concacaf, which governs Central America, the Caribbean and the North America, was also involved in the planning. 

CONMEBOL took the reins of the organization of the 2024 tournament, despite having less money for ensuring a safe fan and player experience, the lawsuit alleges, adding that decision was made so CONMEBOL could chase profit.  

“CONMEBOL and Concacaf’s joint decision to let CONMEBOL’s confederation host, plan, organize and control one of the largest football events in the world, including its limited resources and experience, placed profits over the safety and security of its fans.”

Lawsuit Alleges Organizers Prioritized Profit Over Fan Safety

This year’s final was only the second time ever it had been held outside of South America, and it was particularly popular given the surgency of Lionel Messi fandom. Ahead of the final, Hard Rock Stadium President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Garfinkel said he expected large crowds, “obviously, with a large Colombian and Argentine population here in South Florida, the demand for this event has been huge.” 

The lawsuit alleges that despite being aware of the momentous occasion, and aware of past calamitous incidents at football events, Hard Rock and CONMEBOL “failed to devise an adequate security plan to control the tens of thousands of loyal fans that descended upon the Hard Rock Stadium,” and, rather than increasing security, they just opened the doors to the general public.

Multiple Lawsuits Filed Over Chaotic Final, FIFA Corruption Allegations Resurface

According to The New York Times, there have been at least four lawsuits filed in Miami over the COPA America final’s alleged mismanagement, with fans accusing Hard Rock Stadium, CONMEBOL, Concacaf, and Best Security of failing to control crowds and in turn leading ticket holders suffer injury and loss. 

In a separate legal action, officials from CONMEBOL were accused in New York court earlier this year of taking more than $32 million in bribes as part of a huge FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) corruption scandal.

In his proposed class action lawsuit, Nobel wants to represent every person who had a ticket to the COPA America final, but was denied entry to the game. He is seeking a full refund of ticket purchases, plus interest, and damages incurred as a result of travel expenses. 

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Nobel v. South Florida Stadium LLC (dba Hard Rock Stadium), et al.
• Case Number: 1:24-cv-22751-XXXX
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Brian W. Warwick, Jeffrey L. Newsome, Janet R. Varnell, Christopher J. Brochu, and Pamela G. Levinson (Varnell & Warwick, P.A.)

Were you or someone you know locked out of the COPA America final? Share your experience in the comments below.