Cairo, Feb 2 (IANS) At least 73 people died Wednesday when a riot broke out after a football match at a stadium in eastern Egypt, the state-run media reported.

The riot erupted in Port Said city after the home team el-Masry beat popular el-Ahly team three to one in an Egyptian Premier League match.

The fans of the rival teams started pelting stones at each other amid weak presence of security force, Xinhua quoted the official Nile TV as saying. Hundreds of people were injured.

Chief of Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces Hussein Tantawi ordered two military planes to fly to the riot scene for airlifting the players, fans and the injured.

Egyptian parliament will hold an emergency session Thursday over the clash.

Following the riot, a big fire erupted in the stadium where another match between Zamalik and Ismaily teams was cancelled because of the riot.

Egyptian Prosecutor General Abdel Maguid Mahmoud has ordered an investigation into the riot.