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BREAKING NEWS: CHAOS for thousands of English and Argentinian rugby fans as they face stampedes and long queues to enter Marseille’s Stade Velodrome for the World Cup kick-off rugby.
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Fans attending the Rugby World Cup match between England and Argentina in Marseille on Saturday faced long delays entering the stadium.
MailSport journalist Chris Foy was on hand to observe the situation, which saw a large number of supporters surrounding one of the main entrances to the Stade Vélodrome 40 minutes before the start at 9 p.m. local time.
The delays were blamed on slow security checks, as well as fans arriving near match time and crowding around the gates. Many supporters are believed to have missed the start, with Foy writing: “The teams come out and the stadium is about 50 to 60 percent full. Mess.’
An anonymous England fan told MailSport: ‘I thought I was going to die.’
Social media contained several images of fans stuck outside the stadium during preparations before the start of the two countries’ opening match.
MailSport’s Chris Foy captured the scene, with thousands of fans trapped outside the stadium
Footage shows chaos outside the Marseille stadium before kick-off.
Footage obtained by MailSport showed the lengthy registration process fans had to endure
Other clips from the Marseille stadium saw fans jumping barriers or hiding under posts.
A user posted a photo showing the extent of the problem, with thousands of people in front of the entrance, despite an hour before the start of the match.
Videos obtained by MailSport showed a slow entry process, which amplified fans’ difficulties, and showed fans dodging or jumping over barriers in an attempt to gain access to the stadium. Marseille Vélodrome Stadium.
In an insulting rant on X (fka Twitter), a user wrote: ‘F****** horrible @WorldRugby @EnglandRugby couldn’t even update because I couldn’t move my arms at my sides, you’ll be lucky if no one gets hurt or dies tonight . Worst experience I have ever had at a sporting event. Huge queues still waiting to enter #RWC2023 #Marseille’.
Another said: “I’m queuing at the velodrome to get in…what a bloody mess…only one entry. Metro transportation is shocking, we should be ashamed of ourselves
A third added: “We arrived at 7:45 p.m. but they didn’t open the doors until 8:00 p.m.! It took us 40 minutes to get in and thousands of people were still queuing on the street! Terrible organizational tasks will be lacking at the start.
French authorities have already been criticized for the handling of entry to the 2022 Champions League final, which saw thousands of Liverpool fans in Paris stuck in long and dangerous queues outside the stadium, the entrance system being overwhelmed.
The country is also preparing to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, which will also attract a significant number of sports fans.
More soon…