The Copa America 2024 final between Argentina and Colombia is currently grounded to a halt. It’s beyond the kick-off time yet there have been no signs of the referee blowing his whistle to signal the beginning of the match. While it is the unfortunate circumstances that have made it difficult for either side to begin with when exactly will the match get started?

Already there was a half-hour delay from the original kick-off time. Now, as per the latest reports, the match will begin after another half an hour. This is being done for safety purposes as fans aren’t able to get inside the stadium. It is evident negligence of the concerned authorities, COMEBOL to be precise, who failed to organize an important event like Copa America. It also puts a negative light on them as a soccer governing body.

Such situations have never arisen under the belt of other organizations like UEFA, who for instance, also conducted the 17th edition of the Euros with a single hiccup. Already, Copa America has often faced criticism for conducting matches, and today’s incident certainly doesn’t make their case. It even brings up the previous incident involving Darwin Nunez and Colombian fans during the semifinal fixture. A massive brawl took place it didn’t take much time to see Copa America being held guilty

Notably, if the game begins while people are still outside, it could lead to further issues. Fans who have paid thousands of dollars would be furious to miss any part of the action. Indeed, CONMEBOL and other partners in the organizing party shall be held responsible for any kind of damage or loss that the ardent fans must have faced outside the venue.

Here’s why the Copa America 2024 final got delayed

Unfortunately, this situation arose due to poor management by the event organizers. Fans from both nations are suffering because of the negligence of the authorities responsible for organizing the final. Those who purchased tickets did not receive the best services and struggled to enter the venue easily, leading to chaos as the crowd became uncontrollable.

Reports indicate that security was unable to manage the frustrated supporters, who attempted to storm the stadium. This created a near-stampede situation, resulting in some fans getting injured. More than 50% of the crowd is still outside, unable to enter the stadium. If the situation does not improve, it will be impossible to start the match on time, and the final might even be postponed to another day.