Al Jazeera reporters on the ground faced long lines to enter the stadium as security checks were tightened.
Published July 19, 2026
Fans, media personnel and employees faced long lines to get into the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, which U.S. President Donald Trump was expected to attend.
Forty-eight hours before Sunday’s final at New York-New Jersey Stadium, FIFA sent an email to media members urging them to arrive at least six hours before kickoff and warning them of road closures 150 minutes in advance.
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In the media and among stadium officials, the results appeared to put the stadium in early jeopardy of clearing tight security, including screening by Secret Service agents.
Al Jazeera reporters waited two hours after getting in line and passing through the first security perimeter. Other journalists who arrived earlier reported wait times of more than three hours.
President Trump’s helicopter landed next to the stadium as long lines of spectators waited to enter and pass through heightened security checks.
One reporter was refused entry to the venue despite being accredited for the tournament.
A malfunctioning ticket scanner added to the frustration for everyone waiting in line in the heat.
Many other members of the media were refused entry at the 80,000-seat venue’s security perimeter and sent to the stadium’s accreditation center.
According to online reports, the same scenario was true for many fans as well. Despite ticket holders being warned to arrive four hours in advance, there were numerous reports of waiting in fan lines for more than two hours, and some reported ticket scanners malfunctioning.
But when Spain and Argentina players took to the field for the first time, roughly 45 minutes before kickoff, a healthy portion of the stadium’s lower bowl appeared to be full, including the vast majority of their assigned supporters section.
This is not the first major cup final to experience fan logistics delays on U.S. soil.
Kickoff for the 2024 Copa America final in Miami Gardens, Florida, was delayed approximately 75 minutes due to crowds crowding the fan entrance.
A significant number of fans without tickets then flooded the turnstiles and forced entry, but as the match progressed law enforcement gradually tried to remove fans without tickets.
