The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has issued a statement on the violent scenes at the Maracana Stadium before Argentina's 1-0 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying victory over the Selecao after Lionel Messi walked off the field in protest.
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Chaos erupted in the stands at one of the world's most iconic grounds in the early hours of Wednesday morning when some Argentina fans clashed with Brazil supporters.
Some fans attempted to escape the trouble by jumping on to the pitch as police used batons to try to control the situation, with Messi later accusing them of brutality.
The Albiceleste captain was seen leading his teammates off the field following discussions with match officials, with the 2022 World Cup champions spending more than 10 minutes in the dressing room, delaying the start of the South American encounter.
The CBF has since released a statement on the events, insisting they have no hand in how the two sets of fans are allocated seats.
"Staging the match with mixed fans has always been within the purview of the RJ Military Police and other public authorities, as is the standard in competitions organised by FIFA and CONMEBOL," it read, according to Inside World Football.
"The action and security plans were approved without any reservations or recommendations by the public security authorities present (RJ military police, SEPOL, the Public Ministry, Fan Court, Municipal Guard, CET-RIO, mayor, concession holder Maracana, SEOP, etc.).
"Other matches between Brazil and Argentina, even with greater appeal, such as the 2019 Copa America semi-final, were also played with mixed fans. This is not a model invented or imposed by the CBF."
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A headed goal by Nicolas Otamendi in the second half proved to be the match-winner for Argentina, who became the first nation to inflict defeat on Brazil on their own home soil in a World Cup qualifier.
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