May 14 – U.S. President Donald Trump, who famously coined the term ‘bad hombres’, should be pleased to learn that 15,000 such individuals will be barred from U.S. stadiums during this year’s FIFA Club World Cup. Argentine Security Minister Patricia Bullrich has delivered a comprehensive list of violent football supporters to the United States Embassy in Buenos Aires, ensuring they’ll watch the tournament from afar.
The Club World Cup, kicking off in just one month, will feature Argentina’s footballing powerhouses River Plate and Boca Juniors – protagonists in the globally renowned ‘Superclassico’ derby. Despite its legendary status, this fierce rivalry has been repeatedly scarred by violence, with the most catastrophic incident occurring in 1968 at River Plate’s El Monumental stadium when 71 fans perished in a crush and another 150 suffered injuries.
“For us, this is extremely important because no violent person who has committed any crime in Argentine stadiums will be able to attend this sporting event,” Bullrich told reporters during a televised press conference where she dramatically unfurled the ban list.
The database was assembled through the Argentine government’s Tribuna Segura (Safer Stands) programme, designed to identify supporters previously banned from domestic stadiums.
While the economic reality of the weakened Argentine peso against the dollar raises questions about how many fans will make the costly journey stateside, tournament organisers have strategically positioned the two rival clubs on opposite coasts during the group stage – River on the West Coast and Boca on the East Coast.
The crackdown extends beyond Argentine supporters, as Manchester City and Chelsea fans subject to Football Banning Orders (FBOs) will also be prevented from traveling to the US, following legislation issued by the UK Foreign Office last month.
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