In the sweltering heat and nestled between multiple traffic-jammed streets, Miami Stadium finally hosted its first World Cup game — and with it came fans, excitement and color from across the globe.
After several Super Bowls, Formula 1 races and Masters tennis tournaments, and over three decades after being snubbed as a host city for the 1994 U.S. World Cup, the most iconic competition in the planet's most popular sport finally came to South Florida on Monday night.
The match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, which ended in a 1-1 draw, attracted die-hard supporters from those nations — outfitted in their respective jersey colors of green and sky blue — as well as soccer fanatics who just wanted the opportunity to attend the showpiece tournament.
READ MORE: Miami can expect a wave of plastic pollution from the World Cup, nonprofit warns
They came out in their droves despite sky-high ticket prices and other controversies that have surrounded this year’s World Cup for the first of seven matches at the Hard Rock Stadium, renamed Miami Stadium for the tournament.
Some ticketless fans even waited outside just minutes before kick-off in the hope a last-minute deal would surface through online sites or in person.
Among those were the Angelellis, a Uruguayan family of six that, with half an hour to kickoff, had only secured half of the tickets they needed. The family lives in Miami, but as the father, Roberto Angelelli, put it, they go wherever La Celeste goes.
“I’ve been chasing La Celeste my whole life. [For] 58 years I’ve been chasing it,” he said.
They had Uruguay jerseys with their last name on the back — and high hopes of catching a winning start for the proud, two-time World Cup-winning nation.
For Robert's son, Maximiliano, this game was set to be a dream come true.
“ I've never been to a World Cup game. Obviously, I've always wanted to. I went to las eliminatorias (the World Cup qualifiers) in Uruguay, and I’m so happy to be here,” he said. “I’m hoping for good results.”
Other Miami locals were just happy to have games in their city, like American father-and-son duo Phil and Morris Katz. They also came out to support the South Americans — and know their chants through Phil’s Uruguayan best friend.
“I know ‘Soy, soy Celeste’ ('I'm, I'm a Sky Blue') but I’m going to learn to sing it inside,” Phil said.
This is not the Katz's first rodeo when it comes to high ticket prices. They also attended the 2006 World Cup in Germany and in comparison, they said, they don't think they paid that much more for this game.
"I think it was worth it," Phil said of their $400 tickets.
While some group stage games at the World Cup, including some at Miami Stadium, have prices starting in the four figures thanks to FIFA’s dynamic pricing policy, for the opening game game they were available for relatively low prices.
Some fans were traveling from far away and Miami was not even their final destination. Gustavo Barbetta and his son arrived from Buenos Aires early Monday morning, and they had a departing flight later that same night. In their layover time, they went to the game.
“We don’t have tickets, we’re waiting to see if we get any to support Uruguay… they’re our brothers,” Barbetta said.
He wore a Messi jersey, the same one he says he will wear when he’s in Kansas City Tuesday night at Argentina’s first game of the tournament.
Miami-Dade has dedicated nearly 200 buses to move fans to the stadium as part of a free shuttle service.
Nonetheless, as kickoff approached, the roads around Miami Stadium were gridlocked and the venue was slow to fill, with thousands of empty seats visible when the game started. Eventually over 62,764 people took their seats — around 2,000 short of capacity.
Color and pride at Fan Fest
At the Fan Fest in Bayfront Park in downtown Miami, thousands of fans watched the game amidst a sea of pink and blue FIFA banners. Giant screens playing the game, dance performances on a faux turf field and reggaeton booming on every speaker brought Fan Fest to life.
Uruguay fans draped their blue and white flag across their backs like capes and Saudi Arabia fans arrived robed in traditional thobes and keffiyehs. And they were only a fragment of the color and life at the fest. Many fans enjoying the game repped other competing teams, bringing their pride to the World Cup’s backyard.
They split between several large screens across the park, lounging in the grass or in bleachers as the game began to light up the darkening cloudy sky.
The free celebration serves as a place to watch the game and share national pride for those fans who could not secure or afford tickets to the game. But the fervor and excitement of rooting for their national team was the same and some fans are just happy to revel in the excitement a few miles from the match.
Jorge Sandres traveled from New Jersey to support his native Uruguay as it plays two World Cup group stage matches in Miami. He says he came to see the nation get as far as they can in the tournament.
“I’m fifty, so I’ve been a Uruguay fan in the fifty years since I was born,” Sandres said. “I want to see my country succeed.”
His family joined together in clapping for La Celeste. “Soy Celeste, soy Celeste, soy Celeste, Celeste,” the family chanted.
Saudi Arabian fans arrived at the fan fest in bright green jerseys and flags. Abdullah Alafeef and Abdulmajeed Alharbi, two Miami locals from Saudi Arabia, joined the green swarms in the stands to support their team.
“I’m excited to support my country, of course,” said Alafeef.
Alharbi was glad to cheer on his home country, but he was even more excited about one of his neighbors in Palm Beach Gardens, where the Portugal national team is training.
“For me, I just wish Cristiano Ronaldo gets his first World Cup,” Alharbi said of the all-time great who is in the Portugal roster for this World Cup.
Like in the 2022 World Cup, where they beat eventual champions Argentina in their opening game, the Saudis frustrated a favored South American team by holding Uruguay to a draw. But it made for a lively start to South Florida’s World Cup, with some higher profile games yet to come including Brazil vs Scotland, on June 24, and Colombia vs Portugal, on June 27.
The stadium will also host a Round of 32 match, which appears set to include Argentina, as well as a quarter-final and the bronze medal game — so there is plenty of action left to come.
