FIFA has issued a statement after England fans faced chaos ahead of their World Cup opener against Iran, with the official ticketing app crashing and leaving supporters unable to access their tickets. The app appeared to malfunction on Monday, with tickets disappearing from users' accounts and many unable to log back in. Social media footage showed irate fans stuck in long queues outside the stadium, with some VIP ticket holders also affected.
A FIFA spokesperson said: 'Some spectators are currently experiencing an issue with accessing their tickets via the FIFA Ticketing app. FIFA is working on solving the issue. In the meantime, fans who are not able to access their mobile tickets should check the email accounts they used to register with the Ticketing app for further instructions.' Fans unable to access their email were directed to stadium ticket resolution points.
The problem was highlighted by BBC presenter Gary Lineker, who noted thousands of empty seats and long queues outside the stadium. One US fan told Mirror Football that affected supporters were told to queue at a Doha convention centre for paper tickets, where 'hundreds' were already waiting. The fan, who asked to remain anonymous, said: 'The FIFA app had everyone worried because our tickets disappeared completely.'
This is the latest logistical issue to hit the tournament, with England fans among those caught up in the disruption. Kick-off for the match was reportedly delayed as a result of the ticketing fiasco.
