Confusion reigned as families with young children joined thousands waiting up to an hour for entry to the FIFA Fan Festival in Doha.
Concert-goers were held up in bottlenecks caused by crowd control measures and security checkpoints.
It led to hundreds of supporters leaping over barriers and a hedge to head for an alternative entrance after being put off by the queues.
Others were turned away because their official Qatari government passes were not accepted by the security staff.
Last night’s festival at the capital’s Al Bicca park was the first mass World Cup event and will be seen as a test for the organisers’ crowd control systems.
But one Wales fan told how some of her group had been turned away after queuing because they only had a paper version of the official Hayya card.
All visitors to Qatar have to apply for the pass before being allowed in and can carry a printed version or download an app.
But the Welsh fan, who did not want to be named, said: “It is an absolute shambles – it really is chaos.
“We queued for ages to get in and although we were all right, one of our friends didn’t have the app.
“We tried to sort it out with the security people but they refused to give in and three of our friends had to go home.”
The confusion came amid ongoing furore surrounding FIFA’s decision to award the tournament to the Gulf state.
As well as criticism of the host’s ban on homosexuality and its human rights record, doubts have been raised about Doha’s infrastructure.
This story is from the November 20, 2022 edition of Sunday Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 20, 2022 edition of Sunday Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Armchair viewers' blank afternoon
TEMPERATURES below freezing wiped out both of the ITV fixtures yesterday leaving viewers without any live racing to watch.
Kyrgios slams Sinner and will not be silenced
NICK KYRGIOS has warned he is not going “to shut up” about Italian hero Jannik Sinner’s failed drug tests in the build-up to the Australian Open.
Will power for Sarries
TOM WILLIS surged over for two tries to give England boss Steve Borthwick another compelling reminder that his Test debut is overdue.
NOW HAAL'S WELL AGAIN AT ETIHAD
THE crisis is officially over and normal service has resumed.
NWANERI ONLY HIGH SPOT FOR GUNNERS
Lacklustre draw deals title hopes fresh blow
Stroke victim meets cops who saved her
A WOMAN who had a cardiac arrest and stroke while driving and miraculously survived has been reunited with the officers who saved her life.
Mum's cash crisis after cancer bills
A MOTHER-of-three whose mouth cancer was missed due to Covid restrictions is now facing eviction after failing to pay bills during her two years of treatment and rehabilitation.
100 'jump dock' at court despite £7m safety drive
MORE than 100 prisoners have escaped custody by jumping out of the dock during the last seven years - despite a government-funded scheme to make courts more secure.
We must teach pupils why Britain is 'Great'
ALMOST from the moment the first child crossed the threshold and entered a classroom, governments, dictators and other political leaders have sought to use education as a means of indoctrination and controlling the population.
Half a billion in pensions to dead people
BUNGLING civil servants overpaid £511.8 million in state pensions and pension credits to dead recipients, and failed to claw back £256.8m of it over the past five years.
