The World Cup final on Sunday began with significant disruptions at MetLife Stadium, as thousands of fans and media members encountered lengthy queues, technological problems with ticket scanning, and confusion among security personnel.
Organizers had advised attendees to arrive up to four hours before the scheduled kickoff for the match between Spain and Argentina, held at the 80,000-seat venue in New Jersey. The presence of President Donald Trump led to enhanced, airport-style security measures for all entering the stadium.
Despite arriving early, many faced prolonged delays due to reported glitches in FIFA's ticket-scanning system. Tensions reportedly flared between fans, media, and security staff, with officials often deferring complaints to FIFA. Reports also indicated that security personnel were uncertain about crowd management procedures, and instances of staff misdirecting attendees on where to queue were observed.
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Sky Sports reporter Rob Harris noted on X that security staff were acknowledging system glitches and long queues, exacerbated by a lack of clear stewarding. Media personnel with equipment also underwent additional checks by the Secret Service.
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Some fans opted for a later arrival, with many still at Penn Station in Manhattan waiting for trains to New Jersey close to the game's start. The final was anticipated to be the most expensive sporting event to attend, with resale tickets on Sunday morning starting around $7,000.
FIFA had encouraged early arrival to allow participation in the World Cup closing ceremony, scheduled to begin 90 minutes before the match. Increased security is a standard procedure for events attended by President Trump.
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VIP guests, including actor Tom Cruise and former soccer stars like Ronaldo, John Terry, and Diego Simeone, reportedly entered the venue, temporarily renamed 'New York/New Jersey Stadium' for the tournament, without significant issues. Many attendees were focused on seeing what is likely to be Lionel Messi's final World Cup appearance at age 39, with Argentina entering the match as slight underdogs against European champions Spain.