AVELLANEDA, BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA – AUGUST 20, 2025 Round of 16 match of the Copa Sudamericana between Argentine club Independiente and Chilean team Universidad de Chile ended in chaos and had to be prematurely stopped due to widespread violence in the stands of the Libertadores de América stadium.
The problems began already during the first half, when various objects started being thrown between the fan groups. According to available reports, some Universidad de Chile supporters from the upper part of the stadium allegedly threw stones, pieces of stadium equipment, seats, and other objects toward the home fans. The situation gradually worsened, and security forces tried to prevent further clashes.
After halftime, the violence escalated. Mass fights broke out in the stands between supporters of both clubs, and footage from the stadium showed injured people, chaos, and interventions by security forces. Referee Gustavo Tejera suspended the match shortly after the start of the second half, when the score was 1-1. Due to insufficient security conditions, organizers later decided to permanently cancel the match.
The violence resulted in several injured people. According to available reports, at least ten people were seriously injured and dozens of fans were detained by police. Some footage that spread online showed brutal clashes between supporters of both teams and the aftermath of the conflict directly in the stands.
Both clubs blamed each other for responsibility for the situation. Independiente stated that the problems began in the away supporters’ section, where destruction of stadium equipment allegedly occurred, followed by the use of debris as projectiles. Representatives of Universidad de Chile, on the other hand, criticized the security organization and the actions of the event organizers.
