Port Said Stadium disaster

13,000 El Masry fans

On 1 February 2012, a massive riot occurred at Port Said Stadium in Port Said, Egypt, following an Egyptian Premier League football match between El Masry and El Ahly. 74 people were killed and more than 500 were injured after thousands of El Masry spectators stormed the stadium stands and the pitch, following a 3–1 victory by El Masry, and violently attacked El Ahly fans using knives, swords, clubs, stones, bottles, and fireworks as weapons.

73 defendants, including 9 police officers and 2 officials from Port Said’s Al-Masry club, were charged in the aftermath of the riots. As of November 2015, 11 defendants have been sentenced to death and 26 have been acquitted, including 7 police officers and 1 Al-Masry club official. Of the remaining 36 defendants, 10 received 15-year prison terms while another 9 received 10-year sentences and 1 defendant received a 1-year sentence. 16 other defendants received 5-year sentences including the remaining 2 police officers and 1 Al-Masry club official.

As a result of the riot, the Egyptian government shut down the domestic league for two years, which affected the Egyptian national team.

The match kick-off was delayed thirty minutes because El Masry fans were on the pitch. During half-time and after each of the three second-half goals for El Masry, the club's supporters stormed the pitch, and at the conclusion of the match, thousands of spectators ran onto the playing field. El Masry fans threw bottles and fireworks at the El Ahly players, who fled to their changing rooms under police protection. The Masry fans were armed with stones and some carried knives. They attacked the El Ahly fans, who tried to flee, but were unable to do so, as at least some of the stadium gates were locked.

In the ensuing melees, 74 people were killed. Some were stabbed and clubbed, while others were thrown off the stands or died in the stampede as they were trying to escape through a closed stadium gate in the back of the stands. Hisham Sheha, an official in the Egyptian health ministry, said the deaths were caused by stab wounds, brain hemorrhages, and concussions. Over 500 were injured. At least 47 El Masry fans were initially arrested and 73 eventually faced trial. The Egyptian army airlifted in soldiers by helicopter to rescue the players, who were stranded in their locker rooms.