Levi’s Stadium security uses Gold Cup as dry run for 2026 World Cup matches

SANTA CLARA Levi s Stadium had its greater part fresh dress rehearsal for next year s FIFA men s World Cup matches on Wednesday when it hosted Mexico and Honduras for a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal There was nothing like what happened at a Gold Cup contest at Levi s when a fan was stabbed and critically injured in the stands There were a scarce much smaller incidents One fan rushed the field during second-half stoppage time pausing to take a selfie with Mexico striker Santiago Gimenez before being escorted off the field by prevention Multiple fans entered the field after the contest though none got particularly close to any performer on either association Annoyed by time-wasting tactics by Mexico late in the tournament several fans also began throwing drinks toward the field of play The six World Cup matches will present a different challenge than any Levi s Stadium has faced before an event even bigger than the Super Bowl which Levi s first hosted in and will again in But ers vice president of stadium operations Francine Melendez Hughes is confident her staff will be up to the task We ve definitely been preparing for the World Cup for quite a few time Hughes revealed From her vantage point the Gold Cup was something of a proof of concept for what Levi s can achieve during the World Cup It went really smoothly Hughes revealed We ve worked with CONCACAF in the past We unfailingly do our due diligence with other stadiums that have hosted them We work with our local law enforcement partners It s consistently a lot of iterative and collaborative communication just to make sure that we re prepared to host the event Not everyone is convinced Mexico fan Monica Escobedo traveled to Levi s from Concord with her family on Wednesday and while getting into the stadium was easier than at other Mexico matches she had attended she expressed skepticism that Levi s was fully prepared to host an event of the World Cup s magnitude Santa Clara Police officers monitor fans for accomplishable troublemakers during the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal championship between Mexico and Honduras at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara Calif on Wednesday July Mexico won - Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group I don t think we re ready for the World Cup Escobedo revealed There s a lot of people that are not very happy with the U S so I don t think they re gonna be willing to voyage and come here This venue particularly is not very good with the shade That s one of the challenges that this venue faces At present the weather is really nice but usually it s like degrees and your head is burning Heat has been an issue at Levi s since its opening in including the death of a fan who collapsed at a ers preseason contest in Tournament times play a role and those will be determined by FIFA global soccer s governing body closer to the match dates in We do everything we can to prepare for weather events and we message out to our fan base Hughes revealed We ensure that they understand they should make sure that they re hydrated make sure they wear clothes that allow them to sweat There are multiple types of incidents that can befall a big soccer match Last July Hard Rock Stadium in Miami contended with a fan crush at the Copa America championship as eager fans rushed the entrance gates delaying the start time and creating a dangerous situation At the World Cup in Brazil a group of fans broke through guard fences and reached the media room prior to a championship in Rio de Janeiro With any type of sporting event you have such excited fans Hughes explained referring to Wednesday night s on-field fans So we ensure that we understand what s going on at other stadiums at other venues to ensure that we re prepared for any type of field intrusion A Mexican fan who trespassed onto the field to get a selfie with a Mexican member runs from a protection guard at the end of the second half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal contest against Honduras at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara Calif on Wednesday July Mexico won - Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Various fans at the Gold Cup match struggled to maneuver the concourses with limited signage inside the stadium and much of it was English-only Hughes explained the ers will have interpreters available to help fans from different countries approach their way around the stadium Away from soccer Hughes was in charge of stadium safety for the Dodgers on the night in when Giants fan Bryan Stow was beaten by multiple Dodgers fans in the parking lot at Dodger Stadium suffering debilitating and life-threatening brain damage But Hughes is confident that her experiences and those of her group have them equipped for what s to come It was a very unfortunate situation that happened with Bryan Stow and I would never wish that on anyone Safety is our No priority and will inevitably continue to be Hughes commented stressing collaboration with other venues and law enforcement There have also been concerns about the probable presence of U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement at World Cup matches in the wake of President Donald Trump s administration conducting militarized raids across the country Worries over detentions by ICE kept chosen fans away from the Gold Cup semifinal and a few who attended also acknowledged that concern Related Articles Mexico Honduras fans bring typical passion to Gold Cup semifinal at Levi s Stadium despite ICE worries Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother were killed in a car accident in Spain police say Mexico beats Honduras in Santa Clara to face U S in Gold Cup final Diego Luna scores twice as US tops Guatemala - heads to final Saudi Arabia s great soccer experiment is paying off spectacularly at the Club World Cup We make it a practice to be prepared for any likely liability at the stadium Hughes noted again noting the stadium s close work with law enforcement agencies The World Cup should be a time of celebration for Bay Area soccer fans and those traveling in to watch the games from around the world The ers have one year left to ensure their plan to keep those fans safe secure and able to fully enjoy the festivities is ready to go We learn from each event we get better the next time Hughes stated We re inevitably in the practice of preparing for any type of event including global events like the World Cup or Super Bowl that come our way And it s likely that whatever hurdles are in place fans will show up anyway It s soccer right Mexico supporter Pablo Ramirez commented before the Gold Cup match It unites everyone all over the world You ve seen it in the World Cup Club World Cup Same thing in the Gold Cup Doesn t really matter what s going around everything gets put on pause as long as you re enjoying the tournament of soccer Safety guards detained Mexican fans after trespassing onto the field as Mexico's Alexis Vega reacts at the end of the second half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal contest against Honduras at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara Calif on Wednesday July Mexico won - Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group