Wednesday’s Copa Sudamericana match between Independiente and Universidad de Chile was abandoned after violence erupted in the stands, leading to some fans suffering serious injuries.
The Chilean club said 19 of their supporters were in hospital and that close to 100 people had been arrested, although local media said the number of arrests could be more than three times that figure.
Chile president Gabriel Boric condemned both “the violence among the supporters” and “the evident irresponsibility in the organisation”. He added: “Justice must determine those responsible.”
Chile’s ambassador to Argentina said some of those involved in the fighting were armed with knives and said one Chilean was in hospital with serious injuries.
CONMEBOL later declared the match to be cancelled, citing concerns around security both within the stadium and in the city of Avellaneda. South America’s governing body has reportedly since decided that both clubs will be banned from continental competition for the next two seasons, although there has not yet been any confirmation.
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Copa Sudamericana match abandoned: Independiente vs. Universidad de Chile stopped
Clashes began prior to the start of the second half of the Round of 16 game, with objects hurled from the section of the stands housing visiting fans onto some home supporters below. There were also claims that stones were being thrown from outside the venue.
Photos and footage of the disorder show fans setting fire to seats as well as throwing projectiles, including firecrackers, toilet seats and cleaning products. The second half of the game eventually started after a delay, but the match was suspended after less than five minutes as the violence worsened, with players and match officials heading inside.
An announcement was made for visiting fans to leave the stadium in order for the game to be continued. However, despite many leaving the stand, a small group was still in the away section 15 minutes later. At this stage, a group of spectators, presumed to be Independiente fans, stormed into the Universidad de Chile section and attacked those present. Footage shared on social media shows one man using a metal bar as a weapon.
Images show some individuals stripped of clothing and covered in blood, while others can be seen fleeing up the stand while being chased. Local reports claim some fans jumped from the upper tier to get away from the violence. Diario Ole released footage showing items of clothing hanging from the fence that separates part of the stands from the playing field.
La barra de Independiente dejó colgadas las prendas de ropa robadas a los hinchas de la Universidad de Chile. pic.twitter.com/MhOWBZOZUz
— Diario Olé (@DiarioOle) August 21, 2025
Jose Antonio Viera-Gallo, Chile’s ambassador to Argentina, described the scenes as “reprehensible and very serious”. Speaking to Radio Bio-Bio, he added: “A lot of preparation goes into the teams’ arrivals, and we speak with police beforehand. Universidad de Chile came to play in La Plata a while ago, and I was there, and there were no incidents, but today’s situation is truly regrettable.” He said the Chilean man in hospital was the most seriously injured.
“We still cannot provide further information because there are injuries on both sides, and one person injured with a knife is in serious condition. That’s what we know so far,” he added.
After announcing the cancellation of the game, CONMEBOL said the case would be referred to its own judicial body to determine possible punishments.
‘Violence I’d never seen before’
Independiente president Nestor Grindetti accused visiting fans of “violence I’d never seen before”, telling TyC Sports that they “destroyed our bathrooms, took objects and threw them in the stands”.
“The Independiente fans didn’t deserve something like that,” he said. “It’s clear the problem started and continued with only one fanbase. The behaviour of our fans has always been exemplary.”
Universidad chairman Michael Clark responded by saying Grindetti’s words “surprise and sadden me”. He added: “This isn’t the time to look at who is responsible. What happened is a tragedy.”
Chile’s president said “nothing justifies a lynching” as he condemned both the level of violence and the apparent lack of effective security.
Daniel Schapira, director of Universidad de Chile’s management company, told ADN Chile radio that he expected severe punishments to be levelled at the club. However, he lambasted local organisers for placing more than 3,000 visiting fans above a section of home supporters, describing it as “a circus”.
“They can’t put U fans above the Independiente fans,” he said. “Everyone has problems here.
“It’s terrible. It’s unbelievable. Something always happens to us. We’re going to be punished, there’s no doubt about that. And they’ll be harsh.
“We always experience the same thing. It’s desperate. It’s a social and cultural issue — it’s much more than football. They gave us 3,500 tickets, and look what’s happening.”
Independiente, Universidad de Chile banned by CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL reportedly decided on August 21 that both clubs would be prohibited from playing in continental competitions until 2028.
Independiente issued a lengthy statement condemning the violence and vowing to “fully co-operate with the ongoing investigation”.
The club also vowed to identify and ban “the criminals disguised as fans who responded violently to the attacks by visiting fans”.
