‘Total Disaster’: Brawl Breaks Out With Fans After Uruguayan Players Enter Stands

A huge brawl broke out in Charlotte between fans and members of Uruguay’s soccer team after players entered the stands following the team’s 1-0 loss to Colombia in the semifinals.

It happened Wednesday night in North Carolina at the Bank of America Stadium where the city was hosting CONMEBOL Copa America match, that represents all 50 states and around 60 countries, WSOC TV reported. Immediately following Uruaguay’s loss, forward Darwin Núñez and about a dozen of his Uruguay teammates ran into the stands where the major fight broke out.

In one clip, Nunez can be seen throwing a punch to a fan wearing Colombia colors, the outlet noted. Things then got out of control between fans and players, with beverages and trash being thrown back and forth and people being shoved. 

“This is the best game I’ve ever seen in my life,” Daniel Arias, a fan, said.

A contentious Copa America match between Colombia and Uruguay led to angry post-match moments. About a dozen Uruguayan players confronted Colombian fans in the stands after Colombia’s 1-0 semifinal win in Charlotte, North Carolina. https://t.co/ErTwNlXiDU pic.twitter.com/vghPgTgtfC

— ABC News (@ABC) July 11, 2024

“Whether you were cheering for Colombia or Uruguay the atmosphere at Bank of America Stadium was unmatched,” he added. “It was once in a lifetime.”

Another fan, Jorge Gonzales, said, “When I saw the players running, I was like OK, this is about to get ugly.”

Gonzales said he got out his phone and captured the fight which he said appeared to first start between fans and Uruguay players’ family members, the outlet noted.

“I was able to witness a Colombian fan, you know, start crying as his national anthem was played,” Gonzales said. “So, look more for those moments versus, you know, drinking a little bit too much and letting things spiral into chaos.”

The federation that oversees the match released a statement after the fight in Spanish, then translated into English, that read, “La Conmebol strongly condemns any act of violence.”

“Our work is based on the conviction that soccer connects and unites us through its positive values,” the organization statement added. “There is no place for intolerance and violence on and off the field. We invite everyone in the remaining days to pour all of their passion into cheering on their national teams and having an unforgettable party.”

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department was on scene to stop the fight and no one was arrested in connection to the brawl.