CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After a physical and contentious Copa America semifinals match between Uruguay and Colombia, where the latter won 1-0 to advance and take on defending champion, Argentina, in the final, the intensity boiled over after the final whistle was blown.
A brawl broke out in the stands of Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., between about a dozen Uruguay players, most notably Liverpool star striker Darwin Núñez, and Colombia fans, who made up about 90% of a 70,644-capacity crowd. Videos of the melee went viral on social media, claiming the No. 1 trending spot on X, formerly known as Twitter, within the hour of the final whistle of the match.
Numerous angles were posted of the chaotic scene:
The brawl – due to the fact that it involved players and fans – was reminiscent of "Malice at the Palace" between Indiana Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans. Punches were thrown. Food and drinks were thrown. Security seemingly outmatched by the situation unfolding around them. In the videos posted to X Wednesday night, Núñez is seen throwing punches at Colombian supporters in the stands, but there is more context to the inception of this situation .
Why did Núñez, Uruguayan players jump into stands and fight Colombian fans?
According to the account of Uruguay captain José María Giménez, the players family members were "stormed" by nearby Colombian fans.
"This is a disaster," he told a Spanish-speaking media outlet. "This is a disaster. Our family is in danger. We had to get on top of the stands ASAP to rescue our loved ones with newborn babies."
He also said "not a single police officer" came over in an hour and a half. Several angles from the videos posted above show only two police officers and a few people dressed as ushers trying to separate the melee.
It took more than 10 minutes for police to arrive on the scene and to restore order, The Associated Press reported. The public address announcer asked for fans to leave the stadium, but several supporters remained.
"Our families are suffering because of some who drink one or two shots of alcohol that don't know how to drink, who behave like children and are not decent," Giménez said.
About 100 Uruguayan fans and and members of the federation staff remained on the field for their own protection more than 20 minutes after the game, while Colombia fans made their way out to celebrate, the AP reported.
Another camera shot captured moments after the brawl on the field, where Núñez was consoling his son.
Copa America organizers, CONMEBOL, respond to brawl
The South American soccer federation, CONMEBOL, released the following statement about the incident on Wednesday night:
"The Disciplinary committee of CONMEBOL has opened an investigation to understand the sequence of events and the responsibilities of those involved in the acts of violence that occurred at the end of the match between the national teams of Uruguay and Colombia. On the eve of the final Copa America, we want to reaffirm and warn that no action will be tolerated that tarnishes this global football celebration, which involves both the players and the fans present in the stadium, and which will be watched by hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide. It is unacceptable that an incident like this turns passion into violence. Therefore, no behavior that harms the sporting competition and the most beautiful spectacle in the world, which belongs to the entire football family, will be tolerated."
Colombia and Argentina will face off in the Copa America final on Sunday, July 14 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Colombia are riding a 28-match unbeaten streak, which dates back to Feb. 2022, when they lost to none other than Argentina in World Cup qualifiers, 1-0.
Editor's note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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