1) Accra Sports Stadium – Accra‚ Ghana (Death Toll: 127)
Accra Sports Stadium. Photo credit: Football Bible
Widely regarded as the worst stadium tragedy in Africa, 127 spectators lost their lives after a match between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko — two of the most successful teams in Ghanaian football.
Hearts of Oak scored two late goals to defeat Kotoko 2–1 and disappointed Kotoko fans reacted by throwing plastic seats and bottles in to the pitch.
Ahead of the game, police anticipated possible crowd trouble, and in an attempt to disperse the rioters, they fired tear gas and rubber bullets in to the stands. The ensuing stampede led to the death of 127 people, many of them crushed to death.
