The government announced on Monday that the chaos erupted following fans’ dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions, which escalated into stone-throwing and violent confrontations. The turmoil culminated in a fatal stampede at the stadium in N’Zerekore, Guinea’s second-largest city with a population of around 200,000.

Hospital officials described a harrowing scene, with bodies lined up and hallways overwhelmed with the injured and deceased. “The morgue is full,” a doctor told AFP, emphasizing the devastating impact of the event. The provisional death toll, confirmed by hospital services, stands at 56, though it could rise as authorities continue their investigations.