Multiple Incidents of Fan Violence at the USA vs El Salvador Gold Cup Soccer Match

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Soccer matches worldwide are no stranger to fan violence. Some of the most extreme acts of violence have happened in countries like Brazil, Columbia and England to name a few. Most recently, a referee was killed, in the most gruesome of ways, by a mob of angry fans in Brazil after the referee stabbed a player with a knife!

Although here in the US we are very familiar with violence at sporting events nationwide, we do not often hear about violence in the world of US Soccer. Lately it seems the violence is escalating. Not long ago there was a referee at a youth soccer game was punched in the head by a player and later died from the injury and just last week pandemonium erupted as up to 400 rival soccer fans clashed during El Super Clasico pregame festivities in Las Vegas.

In this most recent incident, during the USA vs El Salvador match in the CONCACAF Gold Cup at M&T Stadium in Baltimore, there were reports of multiple fights both inside and outside the stadium.

According to World Soccer Talk’s Morgan Green, when he spoke with stadium security they said had tripled the amount of security for this event and it still was barely enough to handle all the fights that were going on.

What possesses fans to go to these extremes? OVER A GAME?

There is no definitive answer. Some say alcohol, some say the “mob mentality” takes over. What we do know is this behavior MUST stop. There is so much hate in the world already.  Our sporting events should be a place where we can unwind and have fun, not a place where we fear for our safety and our lives.

Be aware this video contains violence