How a football match in Indonesia became the world's second deadliest stadium disaster
In short: On 1 October 2022, a pitch invasion at Kanjuruhan Stadium triggered a catastrophic chain of events. When police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd, a lethal crush ensued at the stadium exits. The tragedy claimed 135 lives, exposing deep systemic failures in safety, security, and the management of football.
The disaster unfolded after a 3–2 loss by the home team, Arema, to their rivals, Persebaya Surabaya. Following the match, approximately 3,000 supporters entered the pitch to demand explanations from players. While initial security efforts failed to contain the crowd, the situation escalated when riot police deployed tear gas—a practice explicitly prohibited by FIFA regulations. The gas, fired into the stands, sparked widespread panic as thousands attempted to flee through locked or narrow exits, resulting in the asphyxiation of many victims.
The human toll was devastating, with 135 people confirmed dead as of 24 October 2022, including 39 children aged between 3 and 17. Investigations revealed that authorities had ignored security warnings, printing 42,000 tickets for a stadium capacity that police had requested be limited to 38,000. Furthermore, the use of expired tear gas raised questions about the toxicity of the chemicals used, leading to calls for re-autopsies and investigations into potential cover-ups, including the discovery of deleted CCTV footage.
In the aftermath, the Indonesian government established a joint fact-finding team, which identified multiple failures across the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI), match organizers, and security forces. While several individuals, including police officers and match officials, faced prosecution and prison sentences, the event prompted a massive overhaul of Indonesian football infrastructure. The original Kanjuruhan Stadium was eventually demolished and rebuilt at a cost of Rp 350 billion, reopening in 2025 as the most expensive stadium in the country, designed to meet modern safety standards.
This tragedy stands as the second deadliest in association football history, surpassed only by the 1964 Estadio Nacional disaster in Peru. It serves as a stark reminder of the consequences when safety protocols are treated as optional guidelines rather than mandatory requirements. The incident forced a temporary suspension of all professional football leagues in Indonesia and triggered a national reckoning regarding the role of police, the influence of fan clubs, and the accountability of sports governing bodies.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster
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