Crisis Management in the Sports Events Industry: A Case Study of the Copa America 2024 Chaos

Abstract

A Case Study of the Copa América 2024 Chaos examines the organizational, managerial, and communication failures that resulted in major disruptions during the 2024 Copa América tournament. Co‑hosted by the United States, the event was designed to demonstrate readiness for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, yet it instead revealed systemic weaknesses in inter‑organizational coordination, stakeholder alignment, and crisis preparedness. The case engages students in analyzing the multiple factors that contributed to operational breakdowns—including overcrowding, ticketing malfunctions, inadequate security protocols, and poor information flow among event partners. These issues exposed the difficulties of multi‑agency collaboration across host cities and highlighted the reputational and legal risks that accompany failures in large‑scale event governance. Building on stakeholder theory and crisis‑management frameworks, the case incorporates a SWOT analysis and stakeholder‑mapping activity that helps students connect each event weakness to affected stakeholder interests. For comparative breadth, the discussion also references non‑sport incidents such as the 2021 Astroworld Festival, illustrating the cross‑sector consequences of mismanaged crowd and risk control. Through this case, students will learn to: (1) Diagnose operational and communication failures in mega‑event management; (2) Analyze how stakeholder misalignment intensifies crisis outcomes; (3) Evaluate the ethical and legal implications of event‑management deficiencies; and (4) Propose integrated strategies for improving crisis response and preventive planning. Ultimately, the case provides a multidimensional framework for understanding the complexities of crisis management in global sporting events while emphasizing proactive stakeholder engagement, risk assessment, and accountability as foundations for sustainable event delivery.

Keywords

sports events industry Copa America 2024 crisis management SWOT stakeholder

Objective of the Case Study

The primary objectives of this case study are to enhance understanding of crisis management and stakeholder coordination in the context of high-profile sports tournaments. By the end of this study, students and professionals will be able to:

■ Analyze the key factors contributing to the logistical and reputational failures of the 2024 Copa America tournament, including inadequate crisis preparedness, stakeholder misalignment, and communication breakdowns.

■ Evaluate the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, identifying how their actions and decisions influenced the escalation and resolution of the crisis.

■ Apply strategic tools such as SWOT analysis and stakeholder mapping to assess risks and improve crisis preparedness in future mega-events.

■ Design a comprehensive crisis response plan for a hypothetical international sports event, incorporating principles of coordination, communication, and contingency planning. These objectives are aligned with Bloom’s taxonomy and aim to develop higher-order cognitive skills, including analysis, evaluation, and creation. Each objective is directly tied to instructional activities, such as case discussions, simulations, and strategic planning exercises, to facilitate practical application of the concepts.

Introduction

The global sports industry continues to be recognized for its capacity to unite audiences, stimulate economic growth, and project international prestige. Hosting mega-sporting events exposes organizers to intricate logistical, operational, and reputational pressures. Effective crisis management and stakeholder coordination are therefore essential not only to avert disruptions but also to sustain public trust under intense global scrutiny (Shipway, 2024).

The 2024 Copa America, hosted by the United States, illustrated how deficiencies in these areas can translate directly into operational crises. As the first edition of the prestigious South American football tournament held outside its home continent, the event offered a defining test of the nation’s event-management capacity ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (El-Dabt et al., 2025).

Yet a combination of logistical breakdowns, stakeholder miscommunication, and lapses in security coordination led to extensive spectator frustration, reputational damage, and critical scrutiny of the United States’ preparedness to host future Mega-event (Biscaia et al., 2024). Accordingly, this case study examines the 2024 Copa America through the dual frameworks of Stakeholder Theory (Freeman et al., 2010), and Situational Crisis Communication Theory (Coombs, 2007), to analyze the root causes of the tournament’s operational failures and their implications for future large-scale sports management. The analysis highlights the mechanisms by which limited stakeholder integration and delayed crisis response transformed manageable risks into systemic event failures, offering insight for both scholars and practitioners seeking to strengthen multi-agency coordination in the sports events sector (Maleske, 2024). Ultimately, the lessons drawn from this case aim to equip students and practitioners with the analytical and practical competencies needed to anticipate, manage, and communicate effectively during crises in global sporting events.

Crisis Management and Stakeholder Coordination

The chaotic scenes witnessed during the 2024 Copa America underscore the critical importance of effective crisis management and stakeholder coordination in sports mega-events. Despite the United States’ experience in hosting large-scale events, such as the Super Bowl and the Olympics, the tournament exposed significant gaps in planning, communication, and inter-agency collaboration (Ammon & Fried, 1999). The issues encountered during the event highlighted systemic flaws in logistical preparation, stakeholder engagement, and crisis response, which must be addressed to ensure the success of future tournaments, particularly the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This case study focuses on three key areas that provide critical insights into the failures of the 2024 Copa America:

1. Crisis Escalation and Organizational Response

- The case examines the logistical and security failures that led to overcrowding, security breaches, and widespread fan frustration. Specific emphasis is placed on the lack of adequate crowd management measures and insufficient security screening procedures (Carlisle & Becherano, 2024).

- The organizers’ initial response to the crisis is analyzed, with attention to the impact of delayed communication and poor coordination on public perception and media coverage (Coombs, 2015)

2. Stakeholder Misalignment

- The roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, including the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF), local authorities, law enforcement agencies, and stadium operators, are explored. Focus is given to the lack of a unified approach to managing the event, which resulted in fragmented decision-making and operational inefficiencies (Beissel & Kohe, 2022).

- The analysis highlights how poor stakeholder communication and misalignment exacerbated the crisis, using Stakeholder Theory (Freeman et al., 2010) to evaluate the dynamics of power, influence, and responsibility among the involved parties.

3. Lessons for Future Events

The case identifies actionable lessons for improving crisis preparedness and stakeholder engagement, with a focus on the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. Recommendations include the development of comprehensive crisis management plans, enhanced stakeholder coordination mechanisms, and investments in infrastructure and security technologies (Shipway et al., 2020).

By narrowing the focus to these three areas, the case study provides a clear and in-depth exploration of the challenges and opportunities in managing sports mega-events. This approach ensures a more detailed and meaningful analysis, offering valuable insights for students, professionals, and policymakers in the sports event industry.

Case Description

The 2024 Copa America, hosted across fourteen U.S. venues, represented a historic expansion of South America’s premier football competition and a major test of the nation’s readiness to organize mega events ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Haut, 2024). Although envisioned as a demonstration of advanced event capability, several operational failures exposed fragilities in planning and coordination. Empirical evaluations describe significant crowd flow and communication problems at multiple venues. In Atlanta, prolonged entry delays followed a temporary gate suspension caused by equipment malfunction, leaving thousands outside the stadium for over an hour. In Los Angeles, inconsistent command protocols between municipal police and private security permitted a short pitch incursion that delayed kickoff (Menaker et al., 2024).

In Miami, insufficient shade infrastructure and water supply during extreme heat resulted in multiple spectator medical interventions and negative social media coverage (Mason et al., 2024).

By contrast, venues such as Houston and Chicago implemented robust risk management drills that minimized congestion and maintained schedule integrity (Mullan et al., 2025). Academic post event analyzes traced these operational discrepancies to fragmented governance among CONMEBOL, the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF), and city level partners. Overlapping reporting hierarchies, delayed information sharing, and an absence of unified incident management systems undermined coordination (Biscaia et al., 2024). Scholars subsequently characterized the tournament as a “stress test” revealing structural misalignment within the emerging North American mega event ecosystem (Beissel & Ternes, 2024). The reputational impact was immediate, prompting institutional reviews and policy discussions concerning future crowd control and crisis communication protocols.

Teaching Objectives

This lesson aims to provide students with a practical understanding of crisis management in the sports events industry, using the 2024 Copa America tournament as a case study. Students will analyze the causes and consequences of the tournament’s failures, evaluate crisis response strategies, and develop actionable skills for managing risks in future events. The lesson also emphasizes the importance of stakeholder engagement, clear communication, and collaborative decision-making in mitigating crises. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Analyze the causes and consequences of crises in sports events

Evaluate the logistical, security, and communication failures that led to the 2024 Copa America crisis.

Assess stakeholder dynamics and their impact on crisis management

Identify key stakeholders, their roles, and how misalignment among them exacerbated the crisis.

Develop proactive crisis management strategies

Create comprehensive plans that include risk assessments, stakeholder collaboration, contingency measures, and communication protocols.

Apply crisis management theories to real-world scenarios

Use frameworks like Stakeholder Theory and Situational Crisis Communication Theory to analyze crises and propose solutions.

Evaluate the long-term implications of crises on reputation and sustainability

Assess how the 2024 Copa America crisis affected public perception and identify strategies for restoring trust and credibility.

Understand the legal and ethical implications of crisis management failures

Evaluate how poor planning, communication, or crowd safety measures can create both reputational damage and potential legal liability for organizers, emphasizing accountability and regulatory compliance as core elements of event governance.

Case Methodology

This teaching case study employs a structured qualitative case design, modeled after Yin’s (2018) approach to case study research. The study examines the events and challenges of the 2024 Copa America through the lens of crisis management and stakeholder coordination. By providing a detailed analysis of key events and applying theoretical frameworks, such as Stakeholder Theory (Freeman et al., 2010) and Situational Crisis Communication Theory (Coombs, 2015), this case serves as a pedagogical tool for students and professionals in sports event management.

Data Sources

The case relies on secondary data, which includes:

Media Reports : Coverage from reliable sources such as ESPN and Associated Press provided real-time accounts of the crisis events (Associated Press, 2024; Carlisle & Becherano, 2024). Official Statements : Public communications and reports from the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and CONMEBOL. Academic Literature : Peer-reviewed studies on crisis management, stakeholder theory, and event logistics were integrated to interpret the collected data. This theoretical foundation enabled the study to provide deeper insights into the underlying causes and implications of the 2024 Copa America crisis.

Data Limitations

This case study relies exclusively on secondary data, which presents certain inherent limitations. While the use of publicly available information is appropriate for a teaching case, it is important to acknowledge the following constraints:

○ Reliance on Media Reports: The case heavily utilizes media reports to construct the timeline and narrative of the 2024 Copa America crisis. While these reports offer valuable insights, they may reflect biases or provide incomplete information about behind-the-scenes decision-making processes.

○ Absence of Primary Data: The study does not include primary empirical data, such as interviews with key stakeholders, internal organizational documents, or participant observations. As a result, certain conclusions are inferred based on secondary sources rather than directly observed evidence.

○ Pedagogical: Focus rather than a comprehensive empirical analysis. Its scope is intentionally limited to facilitating classroom discussions and the application of theoretical concepts. While this approach supports learning objectives, it does not provide an exhaustive exploration of all aspects of the crisis. Despite these limitations, secondary data is commonly used in teaching cases due to its accessibility and relevance for real-world learning scenarios. To mitigate the challenges associated with secondary data, the analysis is triangulated with academic literature on crisis management, stakeholder theory, and sports event logistics. This ensures that the case is both pedagogically valuable and academically robust.

Teaching Materials

To enhance the learning experience and provide a deeper understanding of the 2024 Copa America crisis, the following teaching materials can be incorporated:

Supplementary studies: Include studies of other major events that experienced crises, such as the 2010 World Cup (security concerns), the 2016 Rio Olympics (Zika virus outbreak), and non-sporting events like Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival in 2021, which revealed severe crowd-management and legal accountability failures. Comparing such examples helps students recognize how diverse crisis types—public health, environmental, and security-related—reveal common breakdowns in planning and stakeholder communication.

Video clips/news reports: Use video clips or news reports from 2024 Copa America, highlighting the chaotic scenes at stadiums, fan reactions, and organizer responses. This will provide students with a visual understanding of the crisis and its impact.

Simulation/role-playing exercise: Design a simulation or role-playing exercise where students assume the roles of key stakeholders (e.g., USSF officials, local authorities, security personnel, fans) and make decisions in response to the unfolding crisis. This interactive activity will enhance their understanding of the complexities of crisis management and stakeholder collaboration.

Crisis management plan template: Provide students with a template for developing a crisis management plan for a hypothetical sporting event. This will allow them to apply the concepts learned from the Copa America case study and develop practical skills in crisis preparedness.

SWOT analysis and Stakeholder mapping activity: Have students begin by identifying the primary stakeholder groups (e.g., USSF, CONMEBOL, local authorities, fans, sponsors, security agencies) and outlining each group’s interests and expectations for the event. Students should then conduct a SWOT analysis that explicitly links each factor to these stakeholder interests—for example, assessing how weaknesses in coordination affected fan safety or sponsor reputation. The activity now emphasizes how unmet stakeholder needs can transform operational weaknesses into reputational crises, bridging the theoretical relationship between SWOT analysis and stakeholder theory.

Guest speaker: Invite a guest speaker with expertise in event management or crisis communication to share their insights and experiences. This could be someone involved in organizing major sporting events or a consultant specializing in crisis management.

Relevant academic articles: Provide excerpts from academic articles or reports that discuss crisis management in sporting events, risk assessment, stakeholder engagement, and reputation management. This will provide students with a theoretical framework for analyzing the Copa America case study.

Post-event reports/official statements: Include excerpts from official reports or statements released by the organizers after the 2024 Copa America. This will allow students to analyze the organizers’ reflections on the crisis and their proposed solutions for future events.

Legal responsibility in sport events: Students may not arrive with prior knowledge of the laws and regulations governing sporting events. Instructors are encouraged to guide students in identifying the key legal responsibilities borne by event organizers, venue operators, and security agencies—including duty of care toward spectators, premises liability, negligence in crowd and security management, and compliance with applicable public safety regulations. The operational failures documented at the 2024 Copa America, alongside comparative cases such as the Astroworld Festival (Patel & Kasakove, 2021), provide concrete entry points for contextualizing how crisis management failures can give rise to legal accountability. Instructors should use these examples to help students recognize that sound event governance carries not only ethical and reputational obligations, but legal ones as well.

Sustainable Development and Technology

The 2024 Copa America tournament marked a historic moment as the first edition hosted outside South America, offering the United States a pivotal opportunity to demonstrate its capability to organize large-scale international sporting events ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (FIFA n.d.). Organized jointly by CONMEBOL, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), and local organizing committees, the tournament was staged across major cities including Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and Chicago (Howe, 2025). Despite its ambitions, the event exposed significant vulnerabilities in U.S. event management infrastructure, culminating in a major crisis that generated widespread reputational and operational concerns.

The Crisis: Logistical and Security Failures

The Copa America 2024 faced escalating logistical and security issues. Extensive delays at stadium entrances, triggered by overcrowding and insufficient security screening, led to chaotic scenes where frustrated fans attempted to breach barriers, resulting in security breaches and confrontations with law enforcement (Carlisle & Becherano, 2024). Reports of injuries, arrests, and fan unrest quickly dominated domestic and international media, severely tarnishing the event’s image. The organizers’ initial response was widely criticized for being slow, poorly coordinated, and ineffective (Pangrazio et al., 2024). Stakeholders, including local authorities, law enforcement agencies, and stadium management, struggled to mount a unified crisis response, highlighting critical gaps in planning and communication.

Systemic Issues Revealed

The crisis laid bare several systemic weaknesses in the management of major sporting events in the U.S. First, there was a profound failure in risk management and contingency planning. Despite the tournament’s scale, event organizers appeared to underestimate the logistical challenges, failing to implement adequate crowd control measures, security protocols, or effective communication systems (Ammon & Fried, 1999; Associated Press, 2024).

Second, the breakdown in coordination among key stakeholders underscored the absence of integrated crisis management frameworks. The lack of clear leadership and decision-making processes led to disjointed efforts during critical moments, amplifying the crisis rather than containing it (Associated Press, 2024). Finally, infrastructural deficiencies became glaringly apparent. Stadiums and transportation systems proved ill-equipped to handle the volume and expectations of an international fan base, further undermining the tournament’s operational success.

Implications for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The reputational damage sustained during the 2024 Copa America has raised substantive concerns regarding the United States’ preparedness to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Post-event analyses published in 2024 caution that the operational and governance lapses observed at the tournament have already influenced stakeholder confidence in forthcoming international competitions (Beissel & Ternes, 2024; Biscaia et al., 2024).

Negative media coverage and shifting public sentiment have questioned the nation’s ability to deliver a safe, efficient, and fan-centered experience at a global scale (Singh et al., 2025).

Beyond reputational issues, these deficiencies also pose economic and strategic risks: potential investors and partner organizations may reassess the perceived reliability of U.S. event management structures, while policymakers face pressure to implement urgent reforms. Without comprehensive corrective action, the systemic weaknesses exposed by Copa America 2024 threaten broader objectives related to sustainable infrastructure, technological innovation, and inclusive planning for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Chen, 2024).

Strategic Recommendations

To restore international confidence and ensure a successful World Cup delivery, the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF), FIFA, and local organizing committees should undertake the following evidence-based actions:

Robust Risk Management Planning: Develop scenario-based contingency frameworks that anticipate crowd congestion, security lapses, and communication breakdowns, integrating empirical lessons from Copa America 2024 (Yilmaz & Karadayi-Usta, 2025).

Integrated Stakeholder Coordination: Establish centralized command hierarchies with clearly defined authority, standardized reporting protocols, and joint training exercises that include law enforcement, event operators, and municipal agencies (Biscaia et al., 2024).

Targeted Infrastructure Investments: Prioritize upgrades to stadium technology, transportation connectivity, and digital security systems capable of real-time information sharing. These investments demonstrate strategic commitment to operational excellence and spectator safety (Chen, 2024).

Enhanced Fan Engagement and Communication: Implement integrated communication platforms and multilingual outreach campaigns that provide transparent, up-to-date information before and during matches to reinforce public trust (Kaushik et al., 2025).

Through these targeted initiatives, the United States can transition from the setbacks of Copa America 2024 to a position of institutional resilience and innovation, establishing a model for future mega-event governance and reinforcing its reputation as a capable global host nation.

Concept Description and Application

One of the key concepts applicable to the 2024 Copa America crisis is the significance of effective crisis management in the sports-events industry. Crisis management encompasses the processes of identifying, assessing, and responding to unexpected events or situations that could potentially inflict substantial damage on an organization’s reputation, operations, and financial stability (Shipway et al., 2020). It is particularly crucial in sports mega-events, which involve large crowds, high-profile stakeholders, and intense media scrutiny (Shipway et al., 2020). The inability to anticipate and effectively address crises can lead to far-reaching consequences, as demonstrated by the chaotic scenes that unfolded during the 2024 Copa America tournament in the United States.

Building on this conceptual foundation, an examination of the 2024 Copa America reveals how the absence of a coherent crisis-management framework and fragmented stakeholder coordination transformed theoretical vulnerabilities into concrete operational failures. Applying these concepts to the event illustrates how breakdowns in communication, planning, and inter-organizational collaboration escalated into a large-scale crisis, providing insights that can guide improved governance and preparedness for future tournaments.

Application the Concept to Copa America 2024

The 2024 Copa America highlighted substantial challenges in stakeholder coordination and crisis communication within a fragmented event-governance structure.

Responsibility for planning and operations was distributed across multiple organizations—including the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF), CONMEBOL, local host committees, stadium operators, and municipal authorities—rather than a single national organizer. This decentralized model resulted in inconsistent decision-making, delayed communication, and insufficient integration of crowd-management and security protocols (Biscaia et al., 2024).

Limited fan engagement and contradictory messaging further amplified congestion and frustration inside and around venues. From a Stakeholder-Theory perspective, these failures reflected weak inter-agency alignment and a lack of reciprocal communication mechanisms (Yilmaz & Karadayi-Usta, 2025).

To strengthen stakeholder management ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the organizing consortium should:

Conduct a comprehensive stakeholder analysis to map all relevant actors and clarify interdependencies.

Develop clear communication channels and coordinated crisis-response protocols across agencies.

Invest in joint training and scenario-based exercises to improve operational readiness.

Continuously evaluate and refine stakeholder frameworks based on feedback and post-event reviews.

While a SWOT analysis is traditionally a forward-looking planning tool, employing it retrospectively in the context of Copa America 2024 helps diagnose missed planning opportunities. The consortium possessed notable Strengths —modern infrastructure and extensive experience hosting major sports events—but critical Weaknesses in inter-agency coordination and contingency planning undermined these advantages. Opportunities now exist to translate lessons learned into stronger collaborative governance for 2026, whereas Threats include lingering reputational risk and public skepticism (Beissel & Ternes, 2024). Framing SWOT as a post-event diagnostic underscores that systematic pre-event application could have prevented many of the difficulties encountered and strengthened organizational resilience.

Discussion

The 2024 Copa America, held in the United States, presented a unique opportunity to highlight the nation’s capabilities in hosting major international sporting events, particularly as a precursor to the 2026 FIFA World Cup (El-Dabt et al., 2025).

However, the tournament was marred by significant operational and logistical challenges, transforming into a crisis that raised serious concerns about the country’s preparedness for future events of this magnitude (Beissel & Ternes, 2024). This discussion analyzes the key issues that emerged during the tournament, the organizers’ crisis response, and the implications for future sports event management in the United States. The chaotic scenes witnessed at various stadiums, including extensive delays, overcrowding, and security breaches, stemmed from a confluence of factors (Menaker et al., 2024).

A primary contributor was the underestimation of the logistical complexities and security demands associated with hosting a tournament of this scale, especially with a large international fan base unfamiliar with U.S. stadium procedures (Shipway, 2024). This inadequacy in planning manifested in insufficient crowd control measures, inadequate security screening protocols, and a breakdown in communication with fans. The lack of clear communication exacerbated fan frustration, contributing to the chaotic atmosphere and security breaches (Coombs, 2015). Further compounding the issues was the apparent lack of coordination and collaboration among key stakeholders.

The USSF, local authorities, law enforcement agencies, and stadium operators seemed to operate in silos, lacking a unified approach to event management and crisis response (Yilmaz & Karadayi-Usta, 2025). This fragmented approach hindered effective decision-making and contributed to the slow and inadequate initial response to the escalating crisis. The absence of a cohesive strategy and clear communication channels among stakeholders amplified the negative impact of the operational failures (Freeman et al., 2010).

The crisis response by the organizers was widely criticized as being reactive rather than proactive (Coombs, 2015). The initial delays in addressing the escalating issues and the lack of clear communication with fans and the media fueled negative public sentiment (Beissel & Ternes, 2024). While subsequent measures, such as deploying additional security personnel and implementing new safety protocols, were taken, the damage to the reputation of the organizers and the United States as a reliable host for major sporting events had already been inflicted. The crisis underscored the critical need for a robust crisis management plan that includes proactive communication strategies, clear lines of authority, and pre-defined procedures for handling various contingencies (Shipway et al., 2020).

The 2024 Copa America experience provides valuable lessons for future sports event management in the United States, particularly in the context of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup (Haut, 2024). A crucial takeaway is the importance of thorough planning and risk assessment (Mason et al., 2024). Organizers must anticipate potential challenges and develop comprehensive contingency plans to mitigate risks effectively. This includes investing in robust infrastructure, implementing advanced security technologies, and developing clear communication strategies for engaging with diverse stakeholder groups (Yilmaz & Karadayi-Usta, 2025).

Furthermore, fostering strong collaboration and coordination among stakeholders is paramount (Biscaia et al., 2024). Establishing clear lines of communication, joint decision-making processes, and shared responsibility for crisis response will ensure a unified and effective approach to event management (Menaker et al., 2024). Regular communication and joint training exercises among stakeholders can strengthen relationships and improve preparedness for unforeseen circumstances (Mullan et al., 2025). The 2024 Copa America crisis is a stark reminder of the importance of effective crisis management in the sports event industry (Shipway, 2024). The experience underscores the need for proactive planning, robust risk assessment, clear communication, and strong stakeholder collaboration (Coombs, 2015; Freeman et al., 2010).

By learning from this experience and implementing the necessary improvements, the United States can enhance its capabilities in hosting major sporting events and ensure a successful and secure 2026 FIFA World Cup (Beissel & Ternes, 2024). The legacy of the 2024 Copa America should be one of valuable lessons learned and positive changes implemented, ultimately strengthening the nation’s ability to deliver world-class sporting experiences (El-Dabt et al., 2025).

Discussion Questions

What factors contributed to the logistical and security failures experienced during the 2024 Copa America tournament in the United States? How could these issues have been anticipated and mitigated through more effective planning and risk management strategies?

Analyze the level of coordination and communication among the various stakeholder groups involved in organizing the tournament (USSF, local authorities, law enforcement, stadium operators, etc.). How did the apparent lack of collaboration exacerbate the crisis, and what strategies could have been employed to foster more effective teamwork and communication?

Evaluate the organizers’ crisis response and communication strategies as the issues unfolded during the tournament. Were their actions timely, effective, and transparent? How could they have improved their communication with fans, the media, and other stakeholders to mitigate the negative impact of the crisis?

Assess the role of inadequate infrastructure and security preparedness in contributing to the chaotic scenes at the stadiums. What specific investments and upgrades are necessary to enhance the United States’ capacity to host major international sporting events safely and efficiently?

Discuss the long-term implications of the 2024 Copa America crisis for the United States’ reputation as a host for major sporting events, particularly in the context of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. What steps should be taken to restore confidence in the nation’s ability to manage such large-scale events effectively?

Drawing upon the lessons learned from the 2024 Copa America experience, what best practices should be adopted for crisis management and stakeholder engagement in the sports event industry? How can these lessons inform the planning and execution of future international tournaments to prevent similar issues from arising?

Consider the legal responsibilities that event organizers, venue operators, and security agencies hold toward spectators at large-scale sporting events. Based on the operational failures documented at the 2024 Copa America—including overcrowding, inadequate security screening, and insufficient safety provisions during extreme heat—what legal obligations (e.g., duty of care, premises liability, negligence, regulatory compliance) were potentially implicated? How do cases such as the Astroworld Festival (Patel & Kasakove, 2021) illustrate that crisis management failures carry consequences extending beyond reputational and operational damage to potential legal liability?

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Footnotes

ORCID iDs

Ibrahim Hazazi

Kevin S. Murphy

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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