CONMEBOL disqualifies Independiente from Copa Sudamericana after stadium violence
FILE PHOTO: Independiente supporters climb onto stadium gates, urging police and local security to intervene in the Chile fans' area to stop them from throwing objects, before clashes broke out at the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana Round of 16 match, which was suspended due to violence in the stands, with the Chilean side leading on aggregate, in Avellaneda, Argentina August 20, 2025. REUTERS/Facundo Morales/File Photo
-CONMEBOL disqualified Argentina’s Independiente from the Copa Sudamericana on Thursday following violent scenes that erupted at their stadium during last month's second-leg round-of-16 match against Universidad de Chile.
Universidad de Chile will now advance to the quarter-finals, where it will face Alianza Lima of Peru.
The decision came after officials canceled the match on August 20 at the Libertadores de America stadium in Buenos Aires, citing a lack of security following incidents resulting in serious injuries and multiple arrests.
During the match, fans of the Chilean team threw objects at the local fans, who reacted by entering the visiting sector to beat them. At least one Chilean supporter threw himself from the upper stand in an attempt to escape.
The governing body imposed fines of $250,000 on Independiente and $270,000 on Universidad de Chile, with both teams set to play seven home matches behind closed doors and seven away matches without their supporters.
The shocking images of violence inside the stadium were condemned by both countries and soccer authorities. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said a day after the incidents that he expected "exemplary sanctions".
At the time of the suspension of the match, the teams were tied 1-1, a result that favored the Chilean team, which had won the first leg 1-0.
