Fan brawl halts Liga MX match, dozens injured
Saturday’s Liga MX match between Queretaro and Atlas was suspended following scenes of violence in the stands that spilled onto the pitch of the Estadio Corregidora.
During the 63rd minute of the match, fans sprinted onto the field to avoid fights that had broken out between supporters of the rival teams. With the score at 1-0 in favor of visitors Atlas, referee Fernando Guerrero stopped the game as more fans began to seek safety on the field.
Guerrero suspended the match initially in hopes order would be restored. However, the violence continued to spread across the upper bowl of the stadium, which hosted World Cup games in 1986. After hundreds of fans continued to flood the field of play, Guerrero halted the game for good.
Pictures and videos shared on social media showed people being beaten, kicked and dragged while others had been left lying on the ground, covered in blood, in what appeared to be the seating area of the stadium in the central city of Queretaro.
Reuters could not independently verify the footage, which was also shown by local television channels.
Liga MX president Mikel Arriola called the violence “inadmissible” and promised there would be “exemplary punishments” doled out for those responsible before confirming that the remaining Liga MX matches for the weekend would not be played.
Following the suspension of the game, the state of Queretaro’s Civil Protection Coordination confirmed that 22 people had been injured, and nine people taken to the hospital — two of which are in critical condition.
Liga MX’s disciplinary committee also announced that they have started an investigation into the matter and will wait for more information to come through.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.