Miami is on an unprecedented security alert ahead of the anticipated clash between Colombia and Portugal, in the early hours of Sunday, in the final round of Group 11 fixtures at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — a match that will determine the group's top team, amid expectations of a massive turnout, particularly given the presence of around 540,000 Colombian residents in the state of Florida.
The security concerns are not limited to events inside the stadium alone, but are also informed by the experience of the Copa América 2024 final, when approximately 8,000 ticketless fans breached the stadium perimeter, causing widespread chaos and delaying kick-off — an incident that remains firmly in the minds of local authorities.
Those events prompted Miami Police to impose a new security protocol prohibiting anyone without an official ticket from approaching within 1 kilometre of the stadium, in an effort to avoid a repeat of the scenes witnessed at the Copa América final.
Authorities have also cancelled a customary tradition at American stadiums — the pre-match gatherings, barbecues, and tailgating outside venues. Fans will only be permitted to reach the stadium perimeter by shuttle bus, departing from a point approximately 1 kilometre from the ground, with access restricted exclusively to ticket holders.
In parallel, authorities are expecting significant congestion in the fan festival zone in downtown Miami, where police have issued warnings to residents, visitors, and public transport users to prepare for heavy traffic and large crowds.
The fan festival had seen a full house during the broadcast of the Brazil–Scotland match in the third round of the group stage, which ended with a 3-0 victory for the Brazilian national team, with no security incidents recorded — an outcome authorities are hoping to replicate during the eagerly awaited Colombia–Portugal summit.