Ellis Park Stadium disaster

{{Short description|2001 South African crowd crush}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}

{{Use South African English|date=July 2023}}

{{Infobox event

| title = Ellis Park Stadium disaster

| image = FIFA World Cup 2010 Slovakia Italy.jpg

| caption = Ellis Park Stadium, the site of the disaster, seen in 2010

| date = {{Start date|2001|04|11|df=y}}

| place = Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

| coordinates =

| cause =

| reported injuries =

| reported death(s) = 43

}}

The Ellis Park Stadium disaster was a crowd crush that occurred on 11 April 2001, claiming the lives of 43 people, surpassing the Oppenheimer Stadium disaster as one of the most severe sporting accidents in South African history.{{Cite web|last=Said|first=Nick|date=2017-07-29|title=Africa's tragic record of stadium disasters|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/south-africa/story/3168201/africas-tragic-record-of-stadium-disasters|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-13|website=ESPN.com|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118150127/http://www.espn.com:80/soccer/south-africa/story/3168201/africas-tragic-record-of-stadium-disasters |archive-date=2018-01-18 }} Spectators poured into the Ellis Park Stadium in the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa, for the local Soweto derby association football match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. There was a 60,000-capacity crowd in the stadium, but reports suggest a further 30,000 more fans were trying to gain entry to the stadium. Reports also suggest that 120,000 fans were admitted into the stadium. An Orlando Pirates equaliser sparked a further surge by the fans trying to gain entry as they scrambled to see what had happened. The match was stopped after approximately 34 minutes of play when authorities received a high volume of reported injuries.{{Cite web|last=agencies|first=Staff and|date=2001-04-12|title=Families mourn 43 killed in football stampede|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/apr/12/football|access-date=2021-09-13|website=the Guardian|language=en}}