The 10 worst football disasters in history
Apr 5, 2024
Date: May 4, 1949
Location: Turin, Italy
The Torino team was travelling back to Turin after playing a friendly against Benfica in Lisbon, Portugal, on board the Italian Airlines flight Fiat G.212. The flight crashed into the side of the mountain — on which the Basilica of Superga stood — because of low visibility and strong winds. The entire Torino team died in the crash which claimed the lives of all 31 people on the flight.
Date: February 6, 1958
Location: Munich, West Germany
British European flight 609, carrying the Manchester United team (famously nicknamed Busby Babes), crashed on its third attempt to take off from the Munich-Riem airport. The crash occurred because of complications from harsh weather conditions. Of the 44 on board, 23 people died in the crash or from injuries sustained, including eight players from Manchester United’s first team.
Date: April 27, 1993
Location: Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Gabon
A specially-arranged air force flight for the Zambian national team crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 500 metres off the coast from Libreville, Gabon. The flight was carrying the national team for a 1994 World Cup qualifying match against Senegal in Dakar. All passengers on board perished in the crash, including 18 players of the national team.
Date: August 11, 1979
Location: Near Dniprodzerzhynsk, Ukrainian SSR
A mid-air collision caused by an air traffic control error caused the death of 178 people on board two flights (Flight СССР-65816 had 94 on board, Flight СССР-65735 had 84 on board). The planes collided in a cloud. The crash also caused the death of 17 players and staff of Soviet top division team, Pakhtakor.
Date: December 8, 1987
Location: Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Peru
A chartered flight for Peruvian club Alianza Lima crashed 11 kilometres off the coast of the city of Callao in the Ventanilla District. The pilot flew the plane too low, causing the right wing to hit the water and result in the crash. Of the 44 people on board, including players, managers, staff, cheerleaders and crew, only the pilot survived.
Date: May 29, 1985
Location: Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium
Juventus and Liverpool were to play the 1985 European Cup Final when rioting broke out. Before kick-off, Liverpool fans began throwing stones at the Juventus fans who attempted to flee onto another stand. A total of 39 fans lost their lives due to suffocation or as a result of being crushed against a perimeter wall in the confusion.
Date: April 15, 1989
Location: Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England
A 1988–89 FA Cup semifinal between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest had to be abandoned as a result of a human crush in two stands of the Hillsborough Stadium. Poor organisation by police assigned to the match resulted in excess fans filling into the standing-only central pens causing the death of 96 people.
Date: May 24, 1964
Location: Estadio Nacional in Lima, Peru
Anger at a disallowed goal for Peru against Argentina during a qualification match for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics resulted in the fans invading the pitch. Police fired tear gas at the crowd which caused them to panic and attempt to exit the stadium. A stampede followed and people were crushed at the steel gates causing the death of 328 people through internal haemorrhaging and asphyxia.
Date: March 12, 1988
Location: Dasarath Rangasala Stadium in Kathmandu, Nepal
At least 80 people lost their lives in the panic of attempting to escape a huge hailstorm during a local match. The crowd attempted to exit the stadium through a tunnel at the south terrace but caused a fatal stampede and crush.
Date: August 16, 1980
Location: Eden Gardens
A stampede during a Kolkata derby match between Mohan Bagan and East Bengal resulted in the death of 16 people at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. It is to date the greatest football tragedy in India.
