One supporter dies and dozens left injured as tragedy hits Peruvian football rally

Martin Macdonald

• 4 Apr 2026 07:00 CDT
• 2 min read

News

One football fan has died and dozens have been left with injuries, some critical, after an incident at a rally in the Peruvian capital, Lima.

Hundreds of supporters had gathered at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium to show support for home side Alianza Lima ahead of a match against local rivals Universitario de Deportes.

Early reports suggested that injuries and the one death were caused after part of the stadium structure collapsed, but that has not been confirmed by the authorities.

The BBC has confirmed that 47 people were injured and three are currently in critical condition in hospital.

Fire Chief Marcos Pajuelo denied the reports that a stadium collapse caused the incident.

"There are no collapsed walls or sections fallen into the pit," Pajuelo said.

Allianz Lima released the following statement regarding the tragedy:

"In relation to the accident that occurred today at Alejandro Villanueva Stadium, during a supporters’ send-off event, we would like to inform the following:

"1. We deeply regret what happened and express our most heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased person, as well as our solidarity with those who were injured.

"2. From the very first moment, safety and emergency response protocols were immediately activated, providing timely assistance to those affected and their families.

"3. We are fully and transparently cooperating with the relevant authorities in order to contribute to clarifying the facts under investigation with complete transparency.

"4. It should be noted that, according to the preliminary information available, the incident is not related to the collapse of walls or to structural failures of the sports venue."

"5. We reaffirm our commitment to keeping the public informed about the development of events."

The Peruvian Professional Football League has confirmed that the derby between Allianz Lima and Universitario de Deportes wil go ahead on Saturday, as planned.