Courtesy of Andrea Persson
- Andrea Persson is a 44-year-old Argentina football supporter who was given tickets to Copa America.
- There was nowhere to park at the stadium, so she paid $50 to park outside of someone's house.
- She described huge crowds of people with parents taking their children away to get air.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Andrea Persson. It has been edited for length and clarity.
My husband and I were so excited to watch Argentina — where my family is from — against Colombia in the Copa America final. We were given tickets and couldn't wait.
We had gone to a previous Argentina game, so we knew there would be a lot of traffic getting to the stadium. We left plenty of time to get there in time for the 8:00 p.m. start. My GPS showed it would take us 35 minutes to get to the stadium from where we were.
As we approached the stadium, there weren't any signs pointing traffic toward parking lots. At the first parking lot entrance we reached, someone parked and directed traffic to another entrance. This happened another two times. Although we weren't told the parking lots were full, I assume that is why we were being redirected. The traffic between each of the parking lots was moving incredibly slowly.
We were getting concerned about the time because it was close to 7:00 p.m. People were standing outside houses on the street near the stadium with signs offering parking for $50. So we paid in cash and parked.
The car journey that was meant to take 35 minutes took us two hours. That's the start of when we realized how poorly organized the event was.
There were so many people waiting outside the stadium to get in
As we approached the stadium, we saw a wave of people trying to get inside. We went to the first gate. It was closed. A second gate. It was closed. A third. Closed.
People were moving slowly to try to get from one entrance to the other. We were stuffed together like sardines. I walked right behind my husband with my hand on his back, and my friend's hand was on my back. We were afraid of getting separated.
Although I didn't see anyone who had fallen in the crowds, I was so scared of people falling and starting a stampede we'd get caught in.
Courtesy of Andrea Persson
It felt like there was no air. The heat and humidity were worse than usual, and everyone was packed in so close together.
Around me, I could see parents with terrified looks. This was meant to be a family event, but parents were thinking about the safety of their children in the crowds. Many families were moving back, away from the stadium. I saw some jumping over bushes and fences to get away.
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
People were yelling out warnings about staying calm and not making any sudden movements as kids were around. Even though I would have loved my daughter to have come with us, I would have been terrified if she had.
We debated leaving
By 8:00 p.m., we moved away from the stadium to decide whether to leave to watch the game somewhere else. We weren't sure if we'd miss it waiting to be let in. Around the same time, people inside the stadium were texting to say the stadium was half full, so we decided to stay, hoping they'd open the doors soon.
Everyone was talking about how poorly organized the whole event was.
Eventually, an entrance gate opened, and we slowly made our way to it with the rest of the crowd. Although there were police present at the security points, no one's tickets or bags were checked.
Courtesy of Andrea Persson
It was only later, once we were safely in, that I thought how dangerous it was that no one knew what was inside these bags people were bringing in.
Instead of taking the elevator, which was jam-packed, we took a ramp to our section. When we arrived at the entrance of section 318, someone asked for our tickets. We showed him our phone, but nothing was scanned, and no bags were checked.
At 8:20 p.m., we sat down in our seats. The game hadn't started, and the stadium was still only half-full. About an hour later, the game finally started.
During the game, I saw officers trying to take people without tickets out of the stadium.
We loved being there, watching so many Colombians and Argentinians mixed together in one place. The mood was cheerful and respectful. It was a night to remember.
While the game itself was great, the event's organization was a total failure. If we're going to host the World Cup here, something has to change.