In November of last year, the World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã stadium had all the makings of an international football classic. It was the first time the two rivals had met since Argentina won its third world title in Qatar, and it would also be global star Lionel Messi’s farewell to one of the world’s most iconic football stadiums.
The high expectations for the match hit rock bottom before kick-off, however, as fighting between supporters and police delayed the start of the match. Despite being one of the world’s most famous football rivalries, Brazil officials decided to have fans of each country mixed in the stands.
Scuffles grew into shocking scenes of violence as police attempted to contain the unrest. The Argentina team left the pitch in protest, and the match kicked off 30 minutes late.
Argentina’s one-nil win was overshadowed by arrests, injuries, and even an investigation launched by football governing body Fifa. Meanwhile, fans and the local sports press dived into a debate on the limits of public security in Brazilian football stadiums, pondering whether the violence was linked to the presence of away fans at matches.
In São Paulo, Brazil’s biggest city, away fans have been banned from attending local football derbies since 2016, after an uptick in violence between rival supporters on matchdays. But that ban will be circumvented temporarily today, and there is much interest to see if the day will be free of violent...
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