A Miami-Dade County soccer fan has filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Hard Rock Stadium and soccer playoff organizers after he and hundreds of other ticket holders were locked out of a playoff game after hundreds of fans stormed the stadium gates..
William Pou filed the lawsuit July 24 in the Southern District of Florida, alleging the damages that ticket holders sustained exceeded $5 million. The defendants in the complaint are the South American Football Federation in charge of Copa America (CONMEBOL), Concacaf (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football), South Florida Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium operators) and Miami Dolphins LTD, the stadium’s primary tenant.
Media reports indicated large crowds had gathered around stadium entry gates on July 14 in anticipation of the playoff game between the Argentine and Colombian national soccer teams. A half-hour before the scheduled game time, Pou saw someone break through the security area near “SW Gate.” Some injuries were reported as fans overpowered the security zone.
“Pou did not see the Hard Rock Stadium security personnel swiftly manage the trespass,” the lawsuit states. “Soon after, the crowd rushed inside, bypassing security. … Hard Rock Stadium personnel subsequently denied any further entry to the public.”
About 5,000 people were left milling around outside the gate, according to the lawsuit. Employees said Pou and family members could watch the game from television screens outside the building, but the family eventually headed home to watch the rest of the match on television at home, the complaint states.
“Pou learned, it is believed, a significant portion of the crowd that made it inside Hard Rock Stadium on July 14, 2024, did not have tickets for the soccer match,” the lawsuit says.
Other lawsuits over the stadium’s and organizers' handling of the crowd situation have been filed in state court.
Ariel Ramirez, a CONMEBOL spokesman, told the Florida Record in an email that while he could not comment on the specifics of the federal litigation, efforts are continuing to provide refunds to ticket holders who were barred from entry. It remains unclear whether stadium officials or the soccer playoff organizers had the prime responsibility for security.
“Regarding the tickets, fans who purchased tickets on the primary market and were denied entry to the match are encouraged to reach out to Ticketmaster to request a refund,” Ramirez said. “Ticketmaster will take the claim and provide next steps to the customer. Fans who purchased tickets on the secondary market should direct their refund request to the entity from which they purchased.”
Tickets to the final Copa America soccer match retailed for about $1,500, though the cost reportedly went up to $6,500 per ticket as game day neared, according to the lawsuit. Pou sent several family members in Colombia money to purchase plane tickets in order to attend the game in Miami, and he bought a total of nine tickets for his relatives and his own family members residing in the United States, the complaint says.
The class action accused defendants of breach of contract, unjust enrichment and negligence. The size of the class is estimated in the hundreds or thousands.
“CONMEBOL breached its duty when, among other acts and omissions, it failed to procure a secure perimeter around Hard Rock Stadium,” the lawsuit says.
The plaintiff is seeking a declaratory judgment in his favor; attorney fees, court costs and interest; and prejudgment and post-judgment interest. He is also asking for a jury trial.