Timeline: Worst football disasters in last three decades

At least 73 people were killed and 1,000 injured in a riot at a soccer match in the Egyptian city of Port Said on Wednesday, the worst disaster in the country’s soccer history, government officials said.

Here is a look at some of the major disasters in soccer stadiums in the last 30 years:

October 1982, Russia: Fans were crushed as they left a UEFA Cup tie between Moscow Spartak and Dutch side HFC Haarlem at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow. Officials from the former Soviet Union did not disclose the tragedy for years. When they did, the authorities gave an official death toll of 66 although the number who died in a crush at one exit could have been as high as 340.

May 1985, Britain: At least 56 people were killed and more than 200 injured when fire broke out in the stands at Bradford.

May 1985, Belgium: Thirty-nine fans, mostly Italians, died in rioting before the European Cup Final between Italy’s Juventus and English club Liverpool at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels.

March 1988, Nepal: A stampede towards locked exits in a hailstorm at Nepal’s national soccer stadium in Kathmandu killed more than 90 fans.

April 1989, Britain:  Ninety-six people were killed and at least 200 injured in Britain’s worst sports disaster after a crowd surge crushed packed fans against barriers at the English FA Cup semifinal match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield.

January 1991, South Africa:  Forty-two people died in a stampede during a pre-season game in the mining town of Orkney between the Kaizer Chiefs and the Orlando Pirates. A Pirates fan had attacked Chiefs supporters in the crowd with a knife.

May 1992, France: Before the kickoff of a French Cup game between Bastia and Olympique Marseille in Corsica, a stand of the Furiani stadium collapsed, killing 18 people and injuring about 2,400.

October 1996, Guatemela: Up to 82 people died and at least 147 were injured when an avalanche of fans tumbled down seats and a flight of stairs at a World Cup qualifying match between Guatemala and Costa Rica in Guatemala City.

April 2001, South Africa: At least 43 people were crushed to death when soccer fans tried to force their way into Johannesburg’s huge Ellis Park stadium midway through a top South African league match.

May 2001, Ghana: Around 126 people were killed in a stampede at Accra’s main soccer stadium when police fired teargas at rioting fans in one of Africa’s worst soccer disasters.

March 2009, Ivory Coast: At least 19 people were killed during a stampede at Abidjan’s Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium before a World Cup soccer qualifying match against Malawi.

February 2012, Egypt: Fans rioted at the end of a match in the city of Port Said when the local team al-Masry beat Al Ahli, one of Egypt’s most successful clubs, 3-1. At least 73 people were killed and more than 1,000 people injured.

Reuters