It's official: visiting fans are returning to Argentine soccer after 12 years of absence

At a press conference held at the Predio Lionel Andrés Messi in Ezeiza, Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, president of AFA, confirmed the return of visiting fans to First Division football after twelve years of prohibition.

Tapia explained that this measure will not be mandatory, but will depend on each institution. Those clubs wishing to have visiting fans must comply with a series of requirements established by security agencies. The matches Lanús vs. Rosario Central and Instituto vs. River will be the first pilot tests in this new stage.

"It's an extremely important day for Argentine football, a day that will mark a turning point," Tapia said at the beginning of his remarks. He added: "It's the beginning of the return of visiting fans and for those clubs that can and want to welcome visiting fans to be able to do so."

The AFA president also highlighted the joint work with government authorities: "It's the beginning of a lot of work ahead to consolidate this idea, which has been developed together with the Minister of Security of the Province of Buenos Aires and Aprevide."

In that regard, he anticipated that mechanisms will be implemented to facilitate the transition toward football with both sets of fans present: "There will be training sessions to move toward the path that most people want, which is to have both groups of fans in a stadium."

When asked about the possibility of this measure also being extended to stadiums in Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Tapia announced: "Next week there will be a meeting with the city's security agencies to see if there is willingness, which I believe there is, to work in the same direction."

"I believe that based on a project we've been working on to guarantee safety and bring families back. I hope we move in the same direction and begin to work on the possibility of having visiting fans in Ciudad de Buenos Aires," he added.

Meanwhile, the Buenos Aires Minister of Security, Javier Alonso, detailed that there will be specific conditions for clubs wishing to join: "Each club must assume its commitment, they must want and request visiting fans," he stated. "There will be a series of protocols that must be followed, they need to have the infrastructure and the security cameras must be operational," he explained.

Finally, he concluded by addressing who is responsible for the visiting fans: "The visiting club must take responsibility for the behavior of its fans."

Tapia also emphasized the shared responsibility that this measure will require: "It will require a great deal of commitment, not only from the leaders, but from everyone in order to have the football we all want," he said.