At least 12 people were killed and others injured in a stampede at a football stadium in El Salvador on Saturday, the Central American country's government wrote on Twitter.

The chaos unfolded on Saturday evening during the quarterfinal match between soccer clubs Alianza FC and Club Deportivo FAS at the Cuscatlán Stadium in the capital city San Salvador.

"The first information points to a stampede of fans who tried to enter to watch the match between Alianza and FAS" at the Cuscatlán Stadium, the National Civil Police (PNC) of El Salvador said on Twitter.

"The Salvadoran Football Federation deeply regrets the events that occurred at the Cuscatlán Stadium," twitted the organisation. "It also expresses solidarity with the relatives of those affected and deceased in this incident."