Hundreds of soccer fans in Qatar struggled to retrieve their digital World Cup tickets today as problems with Fifa’s mobile application stoked confusion and frustration at the tournament for a second day in a row.
A line of distressed fans snaked outside the main ticketing help desk in Doha, with many reporting that their tickets had abruptly disappeared from their phones and could not be retrieved— a glitch that caused hundreds to miss the start of England’s match against Iran on Monday.
In front of a sign marked “ticket resolution point" at a convention centre in central Doha, fans swapped stories of ticket troubles and showed volunteers error messages on their mobile apps. A security guard admitted it had been difficult to control some angry fans when the crowds peaked earlier in the morning.
Joao Pedro’s emotional goals against Fluminense captured the magic of an international club competition. But even as fans bring colour and passion, the Club World Cup’s deeper issues loom large, writes JAMES NALTON
JAMES NALTON discusses how Fifa claims to be apolitical, but as Infantino and Juventus players stood behind Trump discussing war, gender, and global politics, the line between sport and statecraft vanished


