Welsh fans are set to MISS Iran World Cup match after ‘glitch in the system’
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Wales fans ready for MISS Iran World Cup match after being turned away at Dubai airport due to ‘system malfunction’
Dozens of Welsh fans will miss the crucial World Cup match against Iran after being turned away at Dubai airport due to a ‘system error’.
At least 80 Welsh fans have been told they will not be allowed into Qatar, meaning they will miss today’s game in what they describe as ‘hellish’.
A ‘system glitch’ at Dubai airport has resulted in their Hayya cards, which act as Qatar visas, not being accepted by officials.
Dozens of Welsh fans set to miss crucial World Cup match against Iran after ‘system glitch’ rejected them at Dubai airport
At Dubai airport this morning, a group of 78 Welsh fans were sent away and will miss the match in Qatar, BBC Radio Wales reports.
A number of fans stayed in neighboring countries, such as Dubai, during the World Cup due to Qatar’s alcohol restrictions and expensive accommodation in Doha.
They have traveled to Qatar on shuttle flights, but a number of Welsh fans have now been caught out by a ‘system glitch’ that left their Hayya cards ‘pending’.
Welsh fan Hywel Price from Cardiff said he was one of 13 friends who would miss the game against Iran because they were not allowed to board their flight from Dubai to Qatar due to a problem with their Hayya cards.
He said they had no problem traveling from Dubai to Doha for Monday’s game between Wales and the USA, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
But on Friday, he was told that he was not allowed to board his flight because the Hayya visa card was still pending on the app.
He told BBC Radio Wales: ‘We got up at 2.30am this morning to take a taxi to the airport for a 6.30am flight, but when we got there we were told by officials that our Hayya cards had been rejected.
‘It’s hellish – there were 13 of us from Wales on that flight with the same problem and trying to prove we had clearance to travel even though the app still said the clearance was pending.
“People have had emails saying their card was valid, but when they got to the airport they were refused entry.”
This is a breaking story, more to follow…