Stuff You Should Know

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The Hillsborough Disaster

Explore episode Jun 30, 2026
History
Setting the Scene: What Made Hillsborough a Disaster Waiting to Happen

The Hillsborough Disaster · Jun 30, 2026 History

The 1989 FA Cup semifinal at Hillsborough pitted Liverpool — England's most supported team — against Nottingham Forest, yet Liverpool fans were assigned the smaller Leppings Lane end with just 7 aging turnstiles for over 10,000 fans. Leppings Lane bottlenecked toward the stadium. Police weren't directing anyone. The structural failure was built in before a ball was kicked.

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