Chaos erupted in the stands at Cape Town Stadium after Stellenbosch FC played to a goalless draw against Egyptian club Zamalek in the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.
Stellenbosch FC supporters clash with Zamalek fans caught on camera
The violence, which was caught on camera, involved Zamalek fans and appeared to include other Arabic-speaking spectators who were seated nearby.
The tensions flared following a tense match in which neither side managed to find the back of the net.
Stellenbosch FC, nicknamed the Maroons, made four changes to their starting eleven after a loss to Magesi FC, bringing back key players including Fawaaz Basadien and Ashley Cupido.
Throughout the match, both sides struggled to gain a clear upper hand. Zamalek looked promising in attack but wasted multiple scoring opportunities.
Stellenbosch, on the other hand, had better control in the second half with multiple chances from Cupido, Genino Palace, and Devon Titus, but could not convert those into goals.
As the final whistle blew, the atmosphere inside the stadium took a dark turn. A section of Zamalek supporters, visibly agitated, were seen lighting flares and shouting aggressively.
The situation spiraled into physical confrontations, forcing security officials to intervene.
No official statement has yet confirmed if anyone was seriously injured during the scuffle, but footage of the incident circulated rapidly online.
Watch: Violent clashes between Sundowns and Esperance supporters
The Cape Town Stadium incident follows another heated episode just a day earlier at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, where Mamelodi Sundowns faced Esperance in a CAF Champions League quarter-final.
Sundowns won the match 1-0, but post-match celebrations were overshadowed by violence in the stands.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of Esperance supporters began attacking nearby Sundowns fans moments after the match ended. The clash saw physical altercations, property damage, and security officials rushing to de-escalate the situation. Some fans suffered visible injuries and had to be escorted off the premises.
Notably, these back-to-back incidents raise concerns about stadium safety and the growing tensions between rival fan bases in high-stakes African football tournaments.
Both clubs are now preparing for away-leg fixtures — Stellenbosch will travel to Cairo, while Sundowns head to Tunisia — under the shadow of these violent episodes.
The governing football authorities are yet to comment on possible disciplinary measures or investigations following these incidents.
