The events that led to the loss of many lives in football history include some of the sport’s darkest chapters in Indonesia and beyond. These incidents sit alongside a broader list of tragic outcomes associated with the game through the years.
The most fatal single match tragedy occurred on May 24, 1964, at Lima’s National Stadium, where 328 fans died and 800 were injured during a Peru versus Argentina encounter. Riot police used tear gas amid crowd chaos outside closed gates, and the bulk of fatalities came from suffocation and blunt trauma.
The Heysel disaster in Brussels, on May 29, 1985, remains one of the sport’s stark reminders. Thirty-nine people died and 117 were seriously injured as tensions during the European Cup final escalated, leaving a lasting imprint on fans worldwide.
Setting aside violence connected to political or non-sporting actions, several tragedies stand out for their high death tolls in football history.
May 24, 1964
At the National Stadium in Lima, 328 supporters lost their lives and 800 more were injured during the Peru‑Argentina match. Protests over a cancelled local goal led to police deploying tear gas as crowds pressed against locked entrances. Most fatalities resulted from suffocation and trauma.
June 23, 1968
In a match between River Plate and Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires, 71 people drowned and 150 were injured. Some fans lit flares; the frightened crowd believed a fire was spreading. This tragedy is remembered as the Tragedy of the 12 Doors.
January 2, 1971
During a Glasgow Rangers stadium clash against Celtic, 66 people died and 150 were injured as crowds surged through gates following a late goal, trapping many inside.
October 20, 1982
Official records later indicated 340 deaths, though some sources listed a lower toll. An avalanche struck Moscow’s Lenin Stadium during a UEFA European Cup match between Spartak Moscow and Haarlem, injuring about 1,000 people and causing mass panic in the stands.
May 11, 1985
Bradford City’s Valley Parade tragedy unfolded when the main grandstand caught fire during a third‑tier league game against Lincoln City. Fifty‑six fans died and more than 265 were injured.
May 29, 1985
Before the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus in Brussels, 39 fans died and 117 were seriously injured in a fatal crush and crowd surge near the Heysel Stadium. The incident involved fans from several nations, including Italy, Belgium, France, and England.
March 2, 1988
A severe hailstorm struck a local match in Kathmandu, Nepal, causing at least 72 deaths and numerous injuries. About 20,000 spectators were trapped as doors remained closed, leading to crushing and suffocation fatalities.
April 15, 1989
During a Hillsborough fixture between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, a fatal crush occurred after barriers and gates failed to control crowd movement, resulting in 95 deaths and many injuries.
July 7, 1990
In Mogadishu, Somalia, a football match was marred when bodyguards opened fire while attempting to shield a president from objects hurled by spectators. At least 62 people died and more than 200 were injured.
October 16, 1996
At the Mateo Flores stadium in Guatemala, 80 people were killed and 150 injured by an avalanche before a World Cup qualifying match between the local team and Costa Rica. The venue had exceeded capacity due to fake ticket sales.
May 9, 2001
In Accra, Ghana, at least 130 fans lost their lives when a clash between rival supporter groups turned chaotic. Police used smoke to disperse crowds and alleyways leading to gates were closed, triggering a deadly panic.
July 25, 2007
Two attacks on football fans celebrating a team victory in the Asian Cup semi‑final in Baghdad claimed at least 50 lives. A vehicle-borne bomb in Al Mansur killed 30, followed by a suicide attack near an Iraqi Army checkpoint in Al Ghadir that took 20 more lives.
February 1, 2012
In Port Said, Egypt, at least 74 people died and 254 were injured after clashes between Al Masry and Al Ahly fans following a league match. In 2013, prosecutors sought the death penalty for several defendants, sparking further protests with fatalities reported.
Most notable events of 2022
January 25 marked a deadly incident at the Olembe Stadium in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where 8 people died and 38 were injured as fans surged into the arena before an African Cup match between Cameroon and Comoros.
March 5 saw another tragedy as a clash between Querétaro and Atlas fans at the Querétaro stadium in Mexico left at least 26 injured and a football match interrupted in the 62nd minute as spectators spilled onto the field.
March 6
A clash on social media between supporters of two major Belo Horizonte clubs, Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro, ended with one death and one injury from a gunshot hours before a high-profile match.