Colombia leads Nigeria 1-0 when Fan World Cup final ends after player strikes referee
A Colombian player received a red card and then struck the referee during the Fan World Cup final on June 13. The match was abandoned with Colombia ahead, but Nigeria took the trophy after confronting officials.
Usa TodayA player from Colombia struck the referee in the face during the Fan World Cup final on June 13, prompting officials to end the match immediately. The incident occurred at Deportivo Plan Sexenal in Mexico City after the referee issued a red card for homophobic language directed at him.
Colombia led 1-0 at the time. Nigeria's players and staff confronted the referees and tournament organizers over the decision to award the match to Colombia. The Nigerian team captain took the trophy from the presentation table and carried it to his team's supporters.
Background on the tournament The Fan World Cup is a quadrennial amateur event held alongside the FIFA World Cup. This year's edition included teams from Mexico, France, Nigeria, Colombia, Spain, and Haiti. Nigeria defeated Spain in the semifinal to reach the final. The tournament features pickup-style games among fan-organized squads.
Reactions after the match A Nigerian player told USA Today Sports that his team considered itself the champion once the game was called. Colombia supporters remained in the stands as the field was prepared for a youth match. One fan continued drumming while players from both teams left the venue.
Organizers stated that the event aims to bring together participants from different countries through soccer.
