The charter plane carrying members of the team was en route to Medellin in Columbia when it crashed, killing 71 people.

Chapecoense was set to play against Atletico Nacional of Colombia in the final of the Copa Sudamericana.

The three Brazilian football clubs have offered players to Chapecoense, and it’s also believed that there may be financial assistance.

Only six of the 77 people on board the ill-fated flight survived the crash and three of them are the footballers Alan Ruschel, Helio Zemper and Jakson Follman.

As a gesture of goodwill by Atletico Nacional, it has been proposed that the Copa Sudamericana title be awarded to Chapecoense.

Sao Paulo in their turn also asked that Chapecoense be exempt from being relegated to the Brazilian second tier for the next three years. This is in an attempt to help rebuild the team.

It is also believed that 21 of the perished in the flight were journalists travelling with the team to cover the match.

Investigations into the exact cause of the crash is still being investigated but it is believed that an electrical fault is to blame.

Morgan Piek/OFM Sport