The past year has shown us that football is not the same without fans filling the stadiums. However, large gatherings of fans can sometimes result in tragic incidents. In this post, we will examine some of the worst football stadium disasters to illustrate the importance of safety protocols.
The worst football stadium disasters: Top 10
Football is often referred to as “the beautiful game.” However, beyond the glamour and excitement associated with the sport, unfortunate events can occur both on and off the pitch. Disasters in football can involve stadium accidents, such as fires, pitch invasions, stampedes, and altercations between rival fans. There have also been instances where fans have attacked players. Let's explore some of the worst disasters in football history.
11. Valley Parade, Bradford City vs Lincoln City
Year: 1985
Cause: Fire
Deaths: 56
11th May 1985 was supposed to be a party at Valley Parade as Bradford celebrated their third division title win. It did not turn out like that. The on-field success quickly faded into complete and utter insignificance as a fire broke out in the Main Stand and ripped through the entire stand, with weather conditions making it difficult to get the blaze under control.
Thankfully, unlike many stadiums in the eighties, Valley Parade's main stand didn't have fences, which means most fans escaped onto the pitch. Who knows where the death toll might have gone had fences been in place?
10. Ibrox, Rangers vs Celtic
Year: 1971
Cause: Crush
Deaths: 66
The Old Firm derby is widely recognised as one of the most ferocious rivalries in the world, and, in some ways, that passion contributed to what was, for 18 years, the worst of the football stadium disasters Britain had experienced. Celtic had scored what looked to be a last-minute winner, and the Rangers fans headed for the exit in their thousands.
Then, the hosts bagged an unlikely leveller in the dying seconds; this caused those early leavers to rush back towards the terraces. One fan fell, causing a domino effect, resulting in 66 people dying on stairway 13.
Remembering all those who lost their lives at the Ibrox Stadium disaster 2nd January 1971. Thinking of their families and the survivors
YNWA pic.twitter.com/C82EpOld1a— HSA-Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance CIC (@HillsboroughSu1) January 2, 2023
9. Luzhniki Stadium, Spartak Moscow vs HFC Haarlem
Year: 1982
Cause: Crush
Deaths: 66
The 1982 crash, the largest football stadium disaster in Russian history, shares some similarities with the two previously mentioned incidents. The stampede was triggered by a single fan losing their footing on an overcrowded stairway.
Additionally, weather conditions played a significant role in the tragedy. The stadium’s capacity had been reduced due to heavy snow, which led to the closure of two stands and several entrance/exit points. Despite the smaller-than-usual crowd, most fans chose to exit through the same stairway at the end of the match, as it was closer to the train station. Unfortunately, this was the stairwell where the disaster occurred.
8. Estadio Monumental, River Plate vs Boca Juniors
Year: 1968
Cause: Crush
Deaths: 71
Clashes between River Plate and Boca Juniors often feature intense football, lively stands, and an atmosphere that attracts viewers from all corners of the globe. However, the match played in 1968 was not memorable for its action on the field, as it ended in a goalless draw (0-0).
Instead, it is the events that unfolded after the referee's final whistle that etched this game into history. As fans began to leave the stadium, gate 23 was found to be closed, leading to a dangerously overwhelming surge of supporters. This resulted in a tragic crush, claiming the lives of 71 individuals. To this day, no one has been held accountable for this disaster.
7. Port Said, Al-Masry vs Al-Ahly
Year: 2012
Cause: Riot
Deaths: 79
This incident is the most recent in a series of football stadium disasters. It's not surprising that the damage was not caused by a failure in health and safety protocols; rather, it was instigated by the fans of Al-Masry. After winning the match 3-1, these fans stormed the field, but not to celebrate. Instead, they attacked the Al-Ahly players and staff with weapons before turning on their supporters in the stands.
There were 1,200 Al-Ahly fans present, compared to 13,000 Al-Masry fans. Tragically, 79 people lost their lives, the vast majority of whom were Al-Ahly fans. The Egyptian authorities responded firmly by putting the league on hold for two full seasons.
6. Mateo Flores National Stadium, Guatemala vs Costa Rica
Year: 1996
Cause: Crush
Deaths: 80
Guatemala and Costa Rica are not nations that can take a place in the World Cup for granted. It's for that reason that when they went head to head in a qualification game in 1996, so many fans turned up at the stadium to soak in the action. At the time, the capacity of the Mateo Flores National Stadium was 45,00,0, with it believed substantially more people were looking to get inside.
Kick-off was still an hour away when the chaos began; a charge of sorts began, for which the trigger is debated, with suggestions it was those without tickets forcing their way in and sending bodies tumbling down the stands.
5. Dasharath Stadium, Janakpur Cigarette Factory Ltd vs Liberation Army
Year: 1988
Cause: Crush
Deaths: 93
In terms of the fixture, a clash between Janakpur Cigarette Factory Ltd and Liberation Army is not quite El Clasico, but it still attracted a 30,000-capacity crowd in Kathmandu. 75% of the stadium was open-sided, with the one main grandstand dominating, but on this occasion, it allowed the elements to run rife.
A hailstorm and strong winds whipped across the pitch, lashing large balls of ice into the main stand. Fans scampered for cover but, after being knocked back by police, instead headed for the exit; the only problem was that the doors were closed, and a crash took place.
4. Hillsborough, Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest
Year: 1989
Cause: Crush
Deaths: 96
When it comes to football stadium disasters, Hillsborough is probably the one that springs to most people's minds, and certainly is in the United Kingdom, where the 96 deaths are a national high. It was another case of overcrowding.
Fans were already late arriving at the stadium due to traffic issues, and then the turnstiles, staff and policing on duty weren't equipped to deal with the growing bottleneck as kick-off neared. Eventually, an additional gate, which was usually for exiting the stadium, was opened. It caused a swarm to enter the stands, and that saw those at the front were suffocated and trampled against the anti-hooligan fences. The story that followed rumbled on for decades.
3. Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang, Indonesia
Year: 2022
Cause: Riot/Crush
Deaths: 125
The Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster is one of the most tragic incidents in the history of football. It occurred on 1 October 2022, during a match between Persebaya Surabaya and Arema, when fans stormed the pitch, creating chaos.
In response, the police deployed tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd. Unfortunately, this led to a crush at the stadium's exit, as thousands of spectators escaped to avoid suffocation. As a result of the chaos, more than 320 football fans were injured, and the death toll was at least 125, with some sources putting it at more than 131.
The Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster is the worst such event in Indonesia's history and one of the most devastating in the world of football. Following the tragedy, the then-President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, announced plans to demolish and rebuild the venue to meet FIFA's safety standards. This announcement came after a meeting between Widodo and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Indonesia to demolish Kanjuruhan stadium following disaster https://t.co/5gaKfy6YL8
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 18, 2022
2. Accra Sports Stadium, Heart of Oak vs Kotoko
Year: 2001
Cause: Riot/Crush
Deaths: 126
When the two top teams of any nation meet, it always sees emotions run slightly higher than normal. This match between two Ghanaian giants, Heart of Oak and Kotoko, was no different. Kotoko had been on course for victory, but two late goals turned the tie on its head. Kotoko fans reacted badly by hurling bottles and seats onto the pitch. Police responded with tear gas, which sent the Kotoko fans to the exits. That usual problem arose, though; the gates weren't open, and 126 died.
1. Estadio Nacional, Peru vs Argentina
Year: 1964
Cause: Riot/Crush
Deaths: 328
Sitting head and shoulders above all the other football stadium disasters in terms of the death toll is this 1964 international game between Peru and Argentina. The match was billed as a must-win for Peru with a place at the Olympics hanging in the balance.
Things were not going to plan on the pitch, though, with Argentina leading by a single goal as time ticked away. Peru had the ball in the net to level but saw it chalked off. Their fans were incensed and spilt onto the field of play in rage, which saw a strong retaliation by the Peruvian police. Like with the Accra Sports Stadium disaster before it, fans panicked and darted for the exit. Again, the doors were closed, and the pile-up caused deaths. Lots of them.
There you have it, the worst football stadium disasters in history. It's important to remember that, as bonkers as health and safety can seem sometimes, it is there for a reason. Hopefully, it will prevent us from seeing anything else like these 10 catastrophes ever again.
There are several other stadium disasters worth mentioning in the world of football. In 2022, for example, a stampede broke out in Yaounde, Cameroon, during a round 16 AFCON match between Cameroon and Comoros. Fans who could not gain entry to the newly built Olembe stadium were forced to find their way in, and a stampede that followed resulted in at least 8 deaths and dozens of injuries.
There are many other similar cases in Africa, so check out this other post on the worst stadium disasters that have happened in Africa.