MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) – Thousands of FIFA World Cup fans hoping to find their seats ahead of the first match at Miami Stadium were met with travel delays.<\/p>\n
Hours after the match between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia ended in a draw, many fans took to social media to complain about their transportation nightmare getting into the stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been here for an hour and there\u2019s still no school bus. Probably the worst setup I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d said Jonathan Odom in a video on social media.<\/p>\n
Odom was among thousands of fans who were stranded in line for hours.<\/p>\n
\u201cTons of fans had to start watching the games on their phones because they weren\u2019t able to get to the stadium on time,\u201d said Cata Balzano in a social media video. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to wait to get on these buses because we were told we can\u2019t walk.\u201d said a fan named William.<\/p>\n
Fans without parking passes were required to board shuttle buses to gain access to Miami Stadium, creating major delays and causing some fans to miss a majority of the match.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just made it and just so you guys calculate, they\u2019re already at halftime. So we missed half the match,\u201d said Balzano.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was moving out of pace that I was like it\u2019s gonna be close to game time and it was. We missed the first kick and we missed all the pregame stuff, which I really wanted to see,\u201d said Odom.<\/p>\n
But once fans were inside the stadium, things changed. Odom said despite the issues, the wait was worth it at the end. <\/p>\n
\u201cOnce I got inside it was one of the best experiences I\u2019ve had, but it was like it could\u2019ve been so much better if the leading up process was a little bit better,\u201d said Odom.<\/p>\n
Odom was one of 65,000 Saudi Arabia and Uruguay fans who had stadium seats to the match.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody\u2019s dancing, everybody was cheering. One way or the other, didn\u2019t matter. Everybody was having a good time,\u201d said soccer fan Paola Moya.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was one of the most fun I\u2019ve ever had at any sporting event. The atmosphere was crazy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In a statement, officials from the Miami-Dade Sheriff\u2019s Office said:<\/p>\n
\u201cMDSO did not experience any operational issues at our security checkpoints. As previously communicated through our advisories and social media platforms, gates opened three hours before kickoff and fans were encouraged to arrive early. For future matches, attendees should plan accordingly and allow ample time for travel, parking, and security screening, particularly given the large crowds expected for World Cup events.\u201d<\/p>\n
FIFA officials and Miami Stadium officials have not responded to 7News\u2019 request for comment. <\/p>\n
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