Fans entering MetLife Stadium stuck in ‘total chaos’ ahead of World Cup final

World Cup ticket-holders suffered nightmarish chaos to get into the finals in New Jersey on Sunday — as some fans waited in line for more than 10 hours just to enter a Manhattan watch party. 

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Fans rooting for Argentina were even seen dangerously crossing the highway near MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on foot to get close to the venue. It’s unclear if they even had tickets.

Hair-raising video captured the more than a dozen people running across the highway and hopping over its median as cars zoomed by. 

Vehicles came to a halt as the group quickly dashed across the three lanes and into the wooded area adjacent to the stadium.

Footage from outside MetLife Stadium also captured massive,winding lines filled with ticket-holding fans and members of the media trying to get in to see the World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina.

“We’ve been in line for 2 hours for the x-ray to ENTER the stadium,” wrote exasperated El Globo TV reporter Mariana Spinelli on X.

“Everything disorganized, a total chaos. If this were in South America, they’d call us animals, third-world country. Since it’s in the US nobody says anything. A nightmare of organization, pathetic.”

Reporters for the New York Post confirmed similar waits or longer as they entered MetLife Stadium ahead of the match. 

Those stuck in the chaos said the long lines at least partly stemmed from the Secret Service ensuring security ahead of President Trump’s arrival.

“Three hours from Spain vs Argentina in the World Cup final, the line for press to get through security is .. significant,” remarked Megan Swanick, who’s written for ESP and Bleacher Report.  

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Fans have been dealing with FIFA system glitches, too, according to Sky Sports.

Some have also accused stadium personnel of giving confusing directions and making people wait even longer. 

“In fact, the organization even directed us to another entrance gate. We went there. We didn’t get in. Then they brought us back to the first line,” wrote Bruno Rodrigues, a sports reporter for CNN Brasil.  

Jay Busbee, a senior writer for Yahoo Sports, was also among the reporters venting on social media over the long lines in the blistering heat. 

“The line to get into the World Cup stadium has now looped around inside itself five times,” Busbee wrote. “Like a sweet roll, but much sweatier.” 

Meanwhile, in the Big Apple, fans began lining up as early as 4:30 a.m. Sunday outside Rockefeller Center to get into a World Cup finals watch party hosted along with FIFA and Telemundo. 

Rockefeller’s iconic ice rink in Manhattan was transformed into a soccer pitch — and had already drawn hundreds of people by late morning trying to get in to watch the live broadcast of the final match.

“I didn’t know they’d be out here at 4 a.m. in the morning for a 3 p.m. soccer game,” said a nearby doorman around 51st Street and Fifth Avenue, adding that people started lining up at 4:30 a.m.

The watch party was offering spots on a first-come, first-serve ticket basis ahead of kick off.

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