Up to 100 Feared Dead in Deadly Stampede at Guinea Football Match

Up to 100 people are feared dead after a stampede broke out at a football match in Nzérékoré, Guinea, leaving at least 56 confirmed dead.

A local doctor reported that the death toll could rise, describing the chaotic scenes at the hospital. “There are bodies lined up as far as the eye can see in the hospital. Others are lying on the floor in the hallways. The morgue is full,” the doctor said.

The tragedy unfolded during a match between Nzérékoré and Labé after a controversial referee decision led to the expulsion of a player, triggering violence in the stands.

Fans threw stones and stormed the pitch in protest, prompting security forces to use tear gas. In the ensuing panic, spectators tried to flee through the stadium’s only exit, causing a deadly stampede.

Distressing images from the scene have surfaced on social media, showing bodies, including those of children, lying on the ground. Other footage shows fans attempting to climb over walls to escape the chaos while a nearby police station was reportedly set on fire.

Guinea’s Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah expressed his condolences over the incident, stating that the government “deplores the incidents that marred the football match.” The match had been organised to honour Guinea’s military leader, Mamady Doumbouya, who has ruled the country since a military coup in 2021.

Opposition parties in Guinea have condemned the tragedy, blaming the ruling military junta for the lack of safety measures.

The National Alliance for Alternation and Democracy (ANAD), a coalition of opposition groups, issued a statement accusing the junta of failing to protect the public. “The CNRD, particularly General Mamady Doumbouya, bear a heavy responsibility for these serious events. They will have to answer for it before the people of Guinea,” the statement read.

This disaster has shocked the nation and cast a spotlight on the challenges of public safety in Guinea, particularly under the military government. Authorities have yet to finalise the death toll as investigations continue into the cause of the stampede.