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.
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