Rare aerial invasion: moments of terror in Brazil force players to hit the ground
In a strange and rare incident, the first leg of the final of the Brazilian Bahia state under-20 championship between Bahia and Fluminense de Feira was halted just 11 minutes after kick-off, due to a sudden attack by a huge swarm of bees that swept across the pitch.
Posted Monday, July 27, 2026 by goal
Bahia x Corinthians (26/07/2026) - 20ª rodada do Brasileirão Kaio César
A swarm of bees halts a match
A bizarre scene halted the first leg of the Bahia state under-20 final between Bahia and Fluminense de Feira in Brazil, just 11 minutes after kick-off. A huge swarm of bees overran the pitch.
Chaos broke out at the Joia da Princesa stadium in Feira de Santana when the bees attacked the players without warning. The referee stopped the game immediately. Players from both teams were forced to lie flat on the ground and cover their faces to avoid being stung.
Video clips and images from the match showed enormous numbers of bees gathering around one of the television broadcast cameras covering the game, likely the reason the swarm was drawn into the ground.
Stadium staff acted quickly, switching on the irrigation system and spraying water across the pitch to disperse the bees. It worked. After a stoppage lasting around 10 minutes, play resumed amid great caution from everyone.
The return to action did Bahia no favours. They slumped to a heavy and humiliating 8-0 defeat in the first leg, a result that makes Fluminense de Feira's coronation as champions merely a matter of time before the second leg.
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