Dozens dead after stampede breaks out at football match in Guinea

At least 56 people have been killed after violent clashes during a football match led to a stampede in Guinea’s second-largest city of N’Zerekore, according to the government.

“Protests of dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions led to stone-throwing by supporters, resulting in fatal stampedes” at Sunday’s match, the government statement said on Monday.

“Hospital services have put the provisional death toll at 56.”

Earlier, a doctor at the scene had estimated the number of dead could be "around 100".

The violence broke out during a match between the Labe and Nzerekore football teams in Nzerekore, the second-largest city in the West African country.

Guinea's Prime Minister Bah Oury condemned the violence in a statement on X.

“The government regrets the incidents that marred the football match between the teams of Labe and Nzerekore this afternoon in Nzerekore," he said.

"The government is closely monitoring the situation and reiterates its call for calm so that hospital services are not hindered in providing first aid to the injured.”

More information will be released as it becomes available, he added.

According to the report, refereeing decisions that saw two Labe players receive red cards followed by a penalty against the same team triggered the violence.

The match was part of a tournament organised to honour Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, Guinea’s military leader who took power in 2021.

Nzerekore, with a population of around 200,000, is located 570 kilometres (354 miles) southeast of the capital Conakry.