Away Fans to Return to Argentine Football in Historic Shift, Tapia Confirms

Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association, officially announced on Thursday the return of away fans to top-flight matches, calling it “a historic day” for the sport. Speaking from the Lionel Andrés Messi complex in Ezeiza, Tapia confirmed the plan will be gradual and begin with two pilot games in the second round of the Torneo Clausura: Lanús vs Rosario Central and Instituto vs River Plate.

"This marks a turning point. It’s the beginning of a process for clubs that are ready and willing to host visiting fans,” Tapia said. He emphasized that the move will involve training and coordination to create a safer, more inclusive matchday environment.

Initially, the policy will apply only to the Liga Profesional. Tapia also noted that talks with security officials in Buenos Aires are scheduled for next week to assess the possibility of expanding the measure to stadiums within the capital.

Despite the optimism, resistance remains from major clubs like Boca Juniors and River Plate, whose stadiums are already at full capacity with season ticket holders. A club official told TyC Sports that allocating 3,000 seats for away fans would also require segregated areas, effectively removing nearly 6,000 seats from use — an unfeasible trade-off for them.

As a result, some clubs may welcome away fans for financial reasons but won't be able to offer reciprocal access, making for an uneven implementation in the near term.