World Cup Wales: Qatar's Hayya visa was not approved in time

Philip Williams spent £2,000 to see Wales play USA in Qatar but a visa mix up means he will miss the game

A Wales fan and his grandson will miss Wales' opening game of the World Cup after he was refused permission to board a flight to Qatar.

Philip Williams spent £2,000 booking the trip of a lifetime to see Wales take on the USA on Monday.

But instead of flying out on Saturday, they had to return home because his visa to enter Qatar was still pending.

BBC Wales has asked Fifa Qatar 2022 to comment.

"My grandson was sick," Mr Williams said, "he was standing there, I could see his face. He was really devastated."

Mr Williams said he has been left around £2,000 out of pocket after paying for flights, match tickets and a hotel room. He said he has received just £50 in compensation.

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"I planned to have a bonding trip with my grandson," he added.

"We didn't go to the Euros, so I thought I'll go one better and take him to the World Cup," said Mr Williams from Lache, Chester.

"Fans travelling to Doha need an electronic visa, called a Hayya Card, to enter the country and get into the stadiums.

They are usually approved within hours, and Mr Williams said his grandson's went through security without a problem. But his own application remained as pending.

Qatar has an electronic visa system, called a Hayya Card, that can be accessed via an app

Despite queueing for hours at the airport his visa did not get approved and he her and his grandson were told they could not fly.

"We struggled with the Hayya," he explained. "I thought by the time I got to the desk it would be approved.

"There is a phone number on the Hayya, but when I phoned it, it said you've called an incorrect number," he said.

"There is an online chat with a list of questions, but none of them are what you want, it's just automated answers.

Mr Williams was left with two non-refundable match tickets and said he could not get a refund from the hotel because his grandson was able to fly.

"I feel very, very frustrated," he said, explaining how his grandson did not want to go on the trip alone.

"He said 'I wouldn't be happy on my own, it would be the same'," Mr Williams said.

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