RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – FIFA has acknowledged being embarrassed by a security lapse that let ticketless Chile fans rampage into the Maracana Stadium.
Fences have been breached by fans at both World Cup matches staged at the country’s biggest and most prestigious stadium which hosts the final on July 13.
“It is embarrassing,” FIFA director of security Ralf Mutschke said Thursday, one day after dozens of ticketless Chile fans broke into the sold-out venue ahead of their team’s 2-0 win against Spain.
Mutschke said security operations at the World Cup must “improve in order that this will not happen again.”
Brazilian authorities said 87 people were detained after smashing their way through a perimeter wire fence into the stadium media center.