Argentina returns to Miami under tighter security
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
MIAMI — As fans battle the summer scorch to watch Argentina and Cape Verde today, local officials know what they are trying to avoid. The last time Argentina played a major tournament was also in Miami Gardens, in July 2024, when the team was crowned Copa América champion after defeating Colombia. Before kickoff, thousands of fans — including those who didn’t have tickets — stormed the stadium gates and rushed past security. Dozens of people were ejected or arrested, and the game’s start time was delayed by more than an hour. An after-action report from Miami-Dade County found that the incident was caused by a lack of intelligence gathering, insufficient security perimeters and large numbers of unticketed fans on site. “Miami-Dade Emergency Management has conducted various training and exercises across a wide range of threat scenarios to enhance coordination, strengthen preparedness, and ensure a coordinated response among local, state, and federal partners during major events,” Dianne Fernandez, a spokesperson for county Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, said in a statement. Fernandez referred specific questions on what protocols have changed since Copa America to the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office, which did not respond to a request for comment. Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said in a June press conference that the sheriff’s office would be using specialized training and equipment to control crowds. Fans will have to present their tickets multiple times before they “get anywhere near the stadium,” Cordero-Stutz said. There is one new variable in the mix this time: triple-digit “feels like” temperatures and oppressive humidity Friday as a heat dome wallops the eastern U.S. Sweltering South Florida weather has already caused dozens of heat-related emergency calls during World Cup games this summer. Miami Stadium’s Friday match is set to start at 6 p.m., only slightly outside of the day’s highest temperatures. Public health experts have flagged that searing su