Boca Juniors has become embroiled in a new controversy ahead of its debut in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores, as pressure grows in Chile for the match against Universidad Católica to be played without visiting fans. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, at the San Carlos de Apoquindo stadium, also known as Claro Arena, in Santiago. According to the Argentine News Agency, tensions escalated after Catalina San Martín, the mayor of Las Condes, formally requested to prevent the presence of Boca sympathizers, deeming it a "high-risk" event. The local authorities' proposal is based on recent violence in Chilean football, and the decision to allow visiting fans is under review. Another conflict has arisen: Universidad Católica made only 450 tickets available for Boca fans, sparking a protest from the Argentine club. This is a sensitive issue because the 2026 Copa Libertadores Clubs Manual, section 4.4.6, mandates that hosts must sell a minimum of 2,000 tickets to the visiting team in the preliminary stage, group stage, and up to the quarterfinals. In this context, Boca's stance is to insist on compliance with the regulations while awaiting an official decision on whether visiting fans will be allowed, the ticket allocation will be increased, or the match will be played without the Argentine contingent. For now, the team's Copa debut in Chile hangs in the balance between a regulatory dispute and security concerns.
