Chaotic scenes took place inside and outside the Fan Fest in Al Bidda park, in Doha, this Sunday (20), an hour before the start of the opening match of the World Cup, between the hosts and Ecuador, after the organizers allowed an excessive number of fans entered the venue.
The park has a capacity of 40,000 people, but at least twice as many people tried to enter, being confined to a waiting area. The police noticed the problem and acted to remove fans from there, taking about 45 minutes to complete the operation.
Frustrated, local fans and volunteers were visibly upset with the police action. Supporters from other countries seemed more understanding.
“It was dangerous,” said one supporter carrying a small child. “They let a lot of people in. I was happy to leave.”
While there was chaos in the waiting area, the scene inside Al Bidda looked pleasant, with Brazilians Andrea Nascimento and Raphael de Jesus enjoying the atmosphere.
“I think Qatar will be a great host. Now that the games are starting, the vibe is building,” Jesus said. “This is my third Cup, after the 2014 and 2018 editions, and so far everything has been very well organized.”
He described the event as “a party involving many countries of the world. The world needs this because there are many problems at the moment, and sport brings people together”.
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