15,000 Argentine fans to be banned from Club World Cup

BUENOS AIRES: Argentine Security Minister Patricia Bullrich handed the United States Embassy in Buenos Aires on Monday a list of 15,000 violent football fans who will be banned from stadiums during the upcoming Club World Cup.

The newly-expanded tournament, to be held on US soil from June 14 to July 13, will feature Argentine clubs Boca Juniors and River Plate, as well as 30 other teams from around the world.

“The list includes more than 15,000 people who will be banned from stadiums. 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.

The list was compiled through the “Tribuna Segura” programme, a tool that allows the detection of people banned from Argentine stadiums.

Read more: Ancelotti exits Madrid, hoping to add World Cup with Brazil

“Since the beginning of this government, ‘Tribuna Segura’ has monitored more than 4 million people in 1,328 matches. We have detected 1,166 people with arrest warrants and have issued more than 40 administrative resolutions restricting entry to stadiums,” Bullrich added.

Boca Juniors are in Group C with Bayern Munich, Auckland City and Benfica, while River are in Group E with Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey and Inter Milan.