Trump visit causes logistical delays at World Cup final

Fans, media members and employees faced lengthy queues to enter New York New Jersey Stadium ahead of the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, which is expected to be attended by President Donald Trump.

In the 48 hours before Sunday’s finale of the quadrennial tournament, FIFA sent emails to media members inviting them to arrive as early as six hours before kick-off and warning them of road closures that would take effect 150 minutes before kick-off.

Among media members and employees, the result appeared to be an early crunch to clear a security protocol that included inspection by Secret Service officers.

Al Jazeera reporters experienced a two-hour wait between entering the queue and clearing the initial security perimeter. Other media members who arrived earlier reported wait times of three hours or more.

Trump’s helicopter set down next to the stadium as long lines of spectators waited to enter the venue through enhanced security checks.

In addition to lengthy queues, Al Jazeera reporters on the ground faced logisitical problems to enter the stadium due to tighter security checks owing to Trump’s eventual presence at the venue. One reporter was denied entry into the venue despite having tournament accreditation.

Malfunctioning ticket scanners also added to everyone’s frustration as they waited in the queue in the heat.

Numerous other media personnel were denied entry at the security perimeter of the 80,000-capacity venue and sent to the stadium’s accreditation centre.

The same scenario was true for many fans, according to online reports. Despite warnings advising ticket-holders to show up four hours early, there were numerous reported waits of two hours or more in fan queues, with some also reporting malfunctioning ticket scanners.

However, when players from Spain and Argentina first took the field roughly 45 minutes before kick-off, a healthy portion of the lower stadium bowl appeared to be full, including the overwhelming majority of both teams’ allocated supporters’ sections.

This is not the first major cup final on US soil to experience logistical delays for fans.

In 2024, the kick-off of the Copa America final in Miami Gardens, Florida, was delayed by more than 75 minutes due to overwhelmed personnel at fan entrances.

On that occasion, significant numbers of unticketed fans rushed turnstiles and forced entry into the venue before law enforcement gradually worked to clear those without paid admission from the seating bowl as the match progressed.