World Cup Fan Fest returns to normal after chaotic opening night.
Sunday's match saw thousands of fans trying to enter the venue, which has a capacity of 40 people, but access was controlled on Monday.
DOHA (Reuters) - A day after the chaotic scenes and confusion that marked the opening night of the fan zones at the Qatar World Cup, organizers seem to have learned their lesson and optimized the entry process before the first game of the day, between England and Iran.
Sunday's match between host nation Qatar and Ecuador saw thousands of fans trying to enter the venue, which has a capacity of 40, but on Monday, organizers blocked entry through several different points to better manage the flow of people.
"It's good, they're controlling everything, because you know how chaotic it was yesterday. They're managing it well, so I'm happy now – it's pretty calm," said a fan named Kirish.
The fan festival is temporarily taking place in Al Bidda Park, a large green area with views of the Doha skyline in the background.
A small crowd had already gathered around the giant screen and stage before kickoff, entertained by singers, but the audience grew a few minutes before the game began.
An English fan named Dan arrived in time for the start of the match, wrapped in an England flag after failing to get tickets for the game at Khalifa International Stadium.
"I finished some work and rushed to get here for the game," he said.
"I tried to get tickets, but there weren't any left. An American couple told me I bought two tickets this morning, I have no idea how!"
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