<p>The fan zone set up in central Doha turned into a chaotic scene on Sunday on the opening day of the World Cup as tens of thousands of fans pushed and shoved against police lines to enter the venue.</p>.<p>Fans were trying to enter the enclosed area that contains a big-screen television for viewing matches, places to buy beer, and little else.</p>.<p>Riot police armed with batons and shields stood guard at the entrance. Some fans pleaded with officers to let them through the line.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/football/world-cup-kicks-off-with-hosts-qatar-defeated-1164239.html" target="_blank">World Cup kicks off with hosts Qatar defeated</a></strong></p>.<p>"It's very risky. People they could die," said Hatem El-Berarri, an Iraqi who said he was working in neighboring Dubai.</p>.<p>"Old people, women, they cannot handle crowds like this. Thank God I'm a little bit tall, so I can breathe. But I saw some kids and said get them up. They cannot breathe.'"</p>.<p>He said he saw people pushing and shoving, and women crying.</p>.<p>"My family is inside. I cannot enter to see them anymore. I don't know what to do," he said, calling the organisation "not very good."</p>.<p>Luis Reyes, a Mexican-American living in Los Angeles, likened the crush to scenes a few weeks ago in South Korea that killed more than 150.</p>.<p>"You can't go back and you can't go forward," he said.</p>.<p>"I told my son, 'Let's go outside. It's too dangerous."</p>.<p>It wasn't clear if anyone was injured or arrested.</p>.<p>There was a similar situation Saturday night at a pre-World Cup concert as people tried to push their way inside the same fan zone.</p>.<p>Inside the festival area on Sunday there were no signs of trouble as tens of thousands of people watched the opening match. People were dancing, singing and drinking at a concert following the match between Qatar and Ecuador, which was played in the city of Al Khor.</p>.<p>Mahdi Hussain, a 17-year-old who did not manage to enter, said he was not happy that beer was being served.</p>.<p>"That bothers me," he said.</p>.<p>"I don't want to be in an atmosphere where there is alcohol."</p>.<p>Samira Said, who moved to Qatar from Egypt about 25 years ago, said she was overjoyed that an Arab country got to host the World Cup.</p>.<p>"As an Arab, I felt honoured. I was happy," the 50-year-old said. </p>
<p>The fan zone set up in central Doha turned into a chaotic scene on Sunday on the opening day of the World Cup as tens of thousands of fans pushed and shoved against police lines to enter the venue.</p>.<p>Fans were trying to enter the enclosed area that contains a big-screen television for viewing matches, places to buy beer, and little else.</p>.<p>Riot police armed with batons and shields stood guard at the entrance. Some fans pleaded with officers to let them through the line.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/football/world-cup-kicks-off-with-hosts-qatar-defeated-1164239.html" target="_blank">World Cup kicks off with hosts Qatar defeated</a></strong></p>.<p>"It's very risky. People they could die," said Hatem El-Berarri, an Iraqi who said he was working in neighboring Dubai.</p>.<p>"Old people, women, they cannot handle crowds like this. Thank God I'm a little bit tall, so I can breathe. But I saw some kids and said get them up. They cannot breathe.'"</p>.<p>He said he saw people pushing and shoving, and women crying.</p>.<p>"My family is inside. I cannot enter to see them anymore. I don't know what to do," he said, calling the organisation "not very good."</p>.<p>Luis Reyes, a Mexican-American living in Los Angeles, likened the crush to scenes a few weeks ago in South Korea that killed more than 150.</p>.<p>"You can't go back and you can't go forward," he said.</p>.<p>"I told my son, 'Let's go outside. It's too dangerous."</p>.<p>It wasn't clear if anyone was injured or arrested.</p>.<p>There was a similar situation Saturday night at a pre-World Cup concert as people tried to push their way inside the same fan zone.</p>.<p>Inside the festival area on Sunday there were no signs of trouble as tens of thousands of people watched the opening match. People were dancing, singing and drinking at a concert following the match between Qatar and Ecuador, which was played in the city of Al Khor.</p>.<p>Mahdi Hussain, a 17-year-old who did not manage to enter, said he was not happy that beer was being served.</p>.<p>"That bothers me," he said.</p>.<p>"I don't want to be in an atmosphere where there is alcohol."</p>.<p>Samira Said, who moved to Qatar from Egypt about 25 years ago, said she was overjoyed that an Arab country got to host the World Cup.</p>.<p>"As an Arab, I felt honoured. I was happy," the 50-year-old said. </p>