Brazil suspends football matches as president decrees three days of mourning

The final round of the Brazilian Serie A season has been postponed by a week after players and staff from Chapecoense died in a plane crash, the Brazilian football confederation (CBF) said on Tuesday.

The CBF said the matches were shifted to December 11 while Wednesday's Copa do Brasil final between Gremio and Atletico Mineiro was also rescheduled to December 7.

"Due to the tragic accident involving Chapecoense, the CBF has decreed seven days of mourning," the organization said in a statement.

Earlier, Brazil President Michel Temer announced three days of national mourning.

Authorities said 76 people were killed when a chartered flight crashed near the Colombian city of Medellín late on Monday night. Police said there were five survivers while one other passenger died in hospital.

The entire Chapecoense football team were on board the British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane, as well as several journalists.

Authorities said they were still investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred during a severe storm.

Chapecoense was scheduled to play Atletico Nacional of Medellin in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final on Wednesday.

South American football's governing body Conmebol said in a statement that the Copa Sudamericana final had been suspended, along with "all federation activities". Endit