Settlement Reached in Copa América Class Action Lawsuit

A settlement was reached on Monday concerning the class action lawsuit filed by fans following the tumultuous 2024 Copa América final between Argentina and Colombia, which took place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Due to crowd disturbances prior to kickoff, many ticketed fans were unable to enter the venue, while others chose to leave early out of safety concerns. These individuals are anticipated to represent the majority of those filing claims.

The defendants in the lawsuit included CONMEBOL, Concacaf, Best Security, and South Florida Stadium LLC, the operator of Hard Rock Stadium. Under the terms of the settlement, these parties will collectively contribute over $14 million into a fund accessible to fans affected by crowd-related issues at the final. The final distribution of funds will depend on the number of claims submitted.

Attorney Jeff Newsome, representing the plaintiffs and class counsel from Varnell & Warwick PA, stated, “This case was about standing up for the fans. Today, the Named Plaintiffs and the entire Class Counsel team are proud to deliver real relief to the class members of the Copa América Class Action lawsuit.” He expressed eagerness to present the settlement to the Court.

Concacaf declined to comment, and Hard Rock Stadium did not provide a statement to ESPN. Attempts to reach CONMEBOL and Best Security for comments were unsuccessful.

The final match was delayed by 82 minutes when fans without tickets breached security barriers in an attempt to enter the venue. In response, stadium personnel enforced a lockdown to regain control. However, as the situation escalated and some fans risked being crushed against the gates, the venue was reopened, allowing some spectators, regardless of ticket possession, to enter. Once capacity was reached, stadium gates were closed again, preventing other ticketed fans from entering.

Miami-Dade Police reported 27 arrests and 55 ejections, while Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to 120 incidents at the stadium, 116 of which were medical in nature.

According to details of the settlement reviewed by ESPN, plaintiffs are categorized into two groups. The first group consists of fans who were “denied entry” into the stadium due to the crowd issues. These fans can receive a maximum refund of $2,000 per person. Although some secondary market tickets exceeded this amount, the settlement aims to adequately compensate the majority of fans for their ticket costs. Additionally, fans who paid less than $2,000 may claim up to $300 in travel-related expenses, provided the total does not surpass the $2,000 limit.

The second category encompasses fans who were “denied full access and enjoyment of Hard Rock Stadium facilities or specific seats purchased.” This includes restrictions on purchasing concessions or merchandise due to overcrowded conditions, with compensations capped at $100 per person.

Impacted fans will need to file claims, submitting a time-stamped photo or proof of identification, ticket purchase verification, and a declaration confirming they were either denied entry or full access to the stadium. They must also assert that they have not received any refunds for the claimed expenses.

Fans interested in participating in the settlement can find further instructions at FinalMatchSettlement.com.

ESPN writer Lizzy Becherano contributed to this report.