Supporters at World Cup Fan Park in Doha left waiting for over TWO HOURS in scorching temperatures

Thousands of fans were forced to wait in two-hour long queues in searing temperatures at the opening of the official FIFA Fan Festival in Doha on Saturday afternoon.

Supporters had flooded to the fan zone in Al Bidda Park to get into the tournament spirit ahead of today’s World Cup opener between Qatar and Ecuador.

The park, which can hold up to 40,000 people, had been due to open at 4pm local time but fans began gathering earlier in the day to ensure a quick entry.

Huge lines had already formed at 3.30pm but the doors did not open for another hour, with fans unable to buy any water to stay hydrated in the 31 degree heat. 

There are no water fountains located around the park or by any of the nearby metro stations.

Queues for Doha’s Fan Festival spread out as fans were delayed entry for more than one hour

No reason was provided as to the why supporters’ entrance to the fan park had been delayed

Supporters attempting the enter the park were forced to wait in scorching temperatures with no access to water

One group of Mexican fans told Sportsmail they had been waiting for over two hours to get inside and did not have any water with them.

‘We have been waiting here two hours,’ one fan said. ‘We cannot buy any water, we did not bring any with us.

‘We don’t know when we will get inside, they [security] cannot tell us anything. Hopefully we can get in soon.’

Read Related Also: Officials seek motive in deadly Colorado gay club shooting

There were two queues on either side of the fan park, with one area eventually being shut off, with hundreds of security guards deployed by the entrance.

A family with young children were advised that they would not be allowed inside by officials

Supporters attempting to leave the fan park were forced to walk for 15 minutes

Even at the closest station at West Bay there was no option to buy or fill up water bottles

Fans enduring the wait were offered some light relief by a Qatar band that played drums for ten minutes

A family from the United States, who had been waiting for nearly 45 minutes, ended up leaving the queue because they were told their three young children would not be allowed inside.

‘We can’t go inside with the children, they are saying it won’t be so nice for them in there,’ the mother said. ‘We will probably go somewhere else to one of the Souqs.’

The nearest Metro station to the fan park is Corniche but it is ‘exit only’, meaning supporters wanting to leave must endure a 15-minute walk to West Bay – with no water fountains en route.

Fans had been in high spirits at the start of the afternoon, with supporters from Mexico, Argentina and Ecuador all singing together. 

But people started to become frustrated when the doors did not open at 4pm, with no reason given for the delay.

The fan festival is free of charge and open every day until the final on December 18, meaning it is only likely to get busier as the tournament progresses.