2024 Copa América

[DaveG]

I don’t think so. I have been to plenty of sold out games in the venues that the WC will be at. No military. Just city and state police. I went to Copa games in 2016 and there was no military. Not sure what it was like for the 1994 World Cup.

Heavy police presence at least at the Foxboro games, but don't recall seeing any kind of military presence in the stadium, and that was with a couple of the bigger fanbases of the tourney (Argentina for the group stage and Italy in the 16).

 

[robertmac43]

The Euro and Copa America were rather lackluster this time around but it's still lightyears better than the MLS...Following the Whitecaps is a total chore.

Jump ship on those guys and support the CPL... Vancouver FC needs your business lol

 

[hatterson]

Would suspect we would have a military presense around WC venues anyways. This is just a good reminder of how some football fans can mess up an entire event.

There might be National Guard. There won't be actual military though as military doing law enforcement stuff on US soil is against the law.

 

[Basement Cat]

There might be National Guard. There won't be actual military though as military doing law enforcement stuff on US soil is against the law.

Yeah that is what I meant by military. The NG is part of the US military.

 

[NotCommitted]

The Euro and Copa America were rather lackluster this time around but it's still lightyears better than the MLS...Following the Whitecaps is a total chore.

Didn't watch much of Copa America but what I saw I was not too impressed. Spain made Euros well worth watching, really entertaining team to watch. And there were some great stories like Georgia, who didn't even get their results by playing overly passive.

I've read some other comments elsewhere as well about people being somehow disappointed in the Euros but tbh I don't entirely understand why. If anything the better teams played more active than sometimes used to be the case in the past (not that I mind really defensive football).

 

[gary69]

Not a bad time to retire after back to back Copa wins and a World Cup. They have cemented their legacy.

Most players, even great ones, have retired from international football by the age of 34. Nobody would have blamed Messi if he had done the same. Instead he stuck around and finally won all the major NT titles after that.

Didn't he mention that he has no plans to retire from the NT yet? Of course injuries, body just giving up or mental fatigue can happen for him during the next two years, but if not, maybe he could play a joker role at the WC 26. Maybe even 1-2 starts if Argentina get a favourable group in the draw.

 

[CuuuJooo]

He has.. it is not easy when someone is on the ground every 60 seconds. Maybe some simulation yellow's would have helped however.

This was the only match I watched in the whole tournament in which the ref wasn't the major focus because of his spectacular ineptitude.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

National team James and club football James are like two completely different players.

nope harsh refuse to accept the slander

club football James rocks insanely hard, but the pure #10 just isn't a part of club tactics anymore. he was brilliant his first season at Madrid under Carlo, but didn't fit under Zidane because Zidane used a deeper three man midfield (still played well, just square peg round hole).

then he was very solid in two years at bayern.

and he was great at everton!! he just struggled for fitness.

the issue really is that his position is largely obsolete

Six subs have been allowed per side? Was Messi's injury given that pink card? Thought that was concussion specific.

you get an additional sub in extra time

 

[Ben Grimm]

At Copa América final, fans endure terror, trauma due to CONMEBOL's 'inhumane' neglect

As the match between Argentina and Colombia took place, the travesty outside overshadowed the event.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Incubajerks]

View attachment 895037

At Copa América final, fans endure terror, trauma due to CONMEBOL's 'inhumane' neglect

As the match between Argentina and Colombia took place, the travesty outside overshadowed the event.

sports.yahoo.com

Same thing happened at Wembley before England-Italy, who knows if they will make a documentary on Netflix this time too.

 

[StreetHawk]

There might be National Guard. There won't be actual military though as military doing law enforcement stuff on US soil is against the law.

Now each host city of the upcoming WC instantly has to do a review, for all 3 nations, of how their security plans needs to be able to handle a similar type of insanity that occurred in Miami for the COPA finals. Have to have a layer of security to thin out the crowd before they get to the gates. People could have been crushed...

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Was already thinking about how major major changes have to be made to Toronto's BMO Field before WC26.

For those who have never been - it's on the south side of railroad tracks and an expressway from the bulk of the city. The closest access point if you are coming from the north side is a tunnel which goes underneath and brings you basically right to the stadium. The doors to the tunnel are narrow, the tunnel is relatively narrow. It's a very bad bottleneck during TFC games. There are other points to cross the tracks and expressway to the east and west which are less tight, but are less direct.

This has me additionally concerned. BMO is a disaster waiting to happen at the World Cup just because of its geography, they need to make a very concrete plan to ensure traffic is directed away from the Atlantic Ave. tunnel and towards the other cross points.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Was already thinking about how major major changes have to be made to Toronto's BMO Field before WC26.

For those who have never been - it's on the south side of railroad tracks and an expressway from the bulk of the city. The closest access point if you are coming from the north side is a tunnel which goes underneath and brings you basically right to the stadium. The doors to the tunnel are narrow, the tunnel is relatively narrow. It's a very bad bottleneck during TFC games. There are other points to cross the tracks and expressway to the east and west which are less tight, but are less direct.

This has me additionally concerned. BMO is a disaster waiting to happen at the World Cup just because of its geography, they need to make a very concrete plan to ensure traffic is directed away from the Atlantic Ave. tunnel and towards the other cross points.

The only thing working in their favor is they are not hosting any major games. I did the Euro group stages in France and everything was very calm. These big games seem to spur people to do crazy things. England fans in 21 and mainly people wearing Columbian kits yesterday..

There does have to be learnings applied though.. hopefully everyone is taking notes.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

It's crazy to me that a 2nd tier stadium like BMO gets to host a World Cup game.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

It's crazy to me that a 2nd tier stadium like BMO gets to host a World Cup game.

Honestly, the venues in Canada are all crap for the World Cup.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Honestly, the venues in Canada are all crap for the World Cup.

Well, this is the first of many WC's that will require 101 games. Not sure that every stadium will be perfect for future cups..

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Well, this is the first of many WC's that will require 101 games. Not sure that every stadium will be perfect for future cups..

Well, the U.S. could easily have hosted this on its own, no? I mean there's arguably like 50 stadiums in the U.S. easily that could host a World Cup game and meet all the criteria. I don't remember the exact circumstances that got Canada and Mexico in on it. I assume it was just a politics thing.

 

[LandfiII]

nope harsh refuse to accept the slander

club football James rocks insanely hard, but the pure #10 just isn't a part of club tactics anymore. he was brilliant his first season at Madrid under Carlo, but didn't fit under Zidane because Zidane used a deeper three man midfield (still played well, just square peg round hole).

then he was very solid in two years at bayern.

and he was great at everton!! he just struggled for fitness.

the issue really is that his position is largely obsolete

you get an additional sub in extra time

OOOOOOF

me bad

 

[bossram]

Didn't watch much of Copa America but what I saw I was not too impressed. Spain made Euros well worth watching, really entertaining team to watch. And there were some great stories like Georgia, who didn't even get their results by playing overly passive.

I've read some other comments elsewhere as well about people being somehow disappointed in the Euros but tbh I don't entirely understand why. If anything the better teams played more active than sometimes used to be the case in the past (not that I mind really defensive football).

Yep, the Euros were highly entertaining. There were more teams playing more direct, attacking football. Even some of the mid-tier and lower-tier teams weren't afraid to attack and take chances, making for some entertaining games.

Obviously Spain was a highlight. Georgia was a great story. But teams like Turkey, Austria, Netherlands made great efforts to be aggressive and attack. Germany was also fantastic and hard done by a tough draw.

Quality of play was far higher than Copa, which was mostly a foul-fest with low scoring and low-xG games.

 

[Evilo]

Low bar, incredible.
The Euro was catastrophic.

 

[Karterthadon]

Low bar, incredible.
The Euro was catastrophic.

Remember how optimistic we all were during the first week when all these goals were being scored?

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Honestly, the venues in Canada are all crap for the World Cup.

BC Place is okay as a spectator but yeah, the current surface is probably the worst field I have been on. Hard subsurface with a 2-3 inch soft turf that feels like quicksand. You also have to content with rubber pellets that gets EVERYWHERE.

They will truck in rolls of real grass for the 2026 tournament but I have a feeling there may be issue with gaps on the surfaces along with a pitch that will quickly deteriorate. It's sad, natural grass surfaces are actually on the decline in BC. We have seen several grass fields in my area replaced with the same crappy turf that heats up to 50-60 degrees Celsius in sunlight while emitting a gross toxic odor.

The issue in North America is there are very few high capacity (over 30k) soccer specific stadiums. American Football really chews up the middle of a field up so there's less of a desire to use high quality grasses in the American Football stadiums.

 

[Moncherry]

It's crazy to me that a 2nd tier stadium like BMO gets to host a World Cup game.

They've turned it into a 2nd-tier tournament with the expansion to 48 teams, so it's fitting.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Well, the U.S. could easily have hosted this on its own, no? I mean there's arguably like 50 stadiums in the U.S. easily that could host a World Cup game and meet all the criteria. I don't remember the exact circumstances that got Canada and Mexico in on it. I assume it was just a politics thing.

Yes - they could, for now and always. I assume in an effort to spread things around they decided to give Canada and Mexico a small piece. Mexico of course handled a 24 team version.. I doubt they could handle this format.

 

[PeteWorrell]

View attachment 895037

At Copa América final, fans endure terror, trauma due to CONMEBOL's 'inhumane' neglect

As the match between Argentina and Colombia took place, the travesty outside overshadowed the event.

sports.yahoo.com

There was also that Champions League final mess in Saint-Denis a few years ago. Organizers never learn.