World Cup: Wales fans pack stadium for key Iran clash

For many Wales fans, Monday was among the best days of their lives.

And on Friday there were up to 6,000 in the stadium, double the pre-tournament estimates, for Wales' World Cup game against Iran.

The raw emotion of Monday's draw with the USA had turned to cautious optimism - although that was dashed in the end as Iran won with two very late goals.

For many Iranians in Wales the game was played against a backdrop of unrest in their home nation.

With a much earlier kick-off, 13:00 local time, fingernails had less time to be bitten than they did for the opening match against the USA.

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Schoolchildren in Wales were able to watch the match after the Welsh government told schools they could cancel lessons to show the game.

In Doha, before kick-off it was among the bustling Souq Waqif market stalls that Wales fans were in a relaxed mood among supporters bringing their different colours and songs from around the world.

Among them was the family of Wales midfielder Tom Lockyer, who did not know they would be heading to Qatar until the squad announcement a fortnight ago.

Wales midfielder Tom Lockyer's family have travelled en masse to see him in action

Speaking before the game, his girlfriend Taylor, 29, said the family found out he was heading to the World Cup with the rest of the nation.

"It was crazy. We were watching it on television with our bucket hats on, just like everyone, then a text notification came through to Tom and we were just jumping around and shouting," she said.

Proud parents Ann and Steve, from Cardiff, added: "We just came up on the Metro and the Urdd choir were singing the whole way. Wales has the best flag and the best anthem."

Alison Phillips has travelled to Qatar from Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire

Many Wales fans are covering hundreds of miles flying in and out from Dubai for games.

Dewi Davies, 54, from Llanfair Caereinion, Powys, was one of thousands of Wales fans trying to hide from the heat of the sun around the stadium.

"I've flown in from Dubai. I've been here five or six nights and not been to bed on three of those," he said.

"The welcome when we arrived in Qatar (on Friday's flight) brought tears to my eyes. They were holding up signs welcoming us here," he said.

"Lots of things have been emotional - I was crying before the second Gwlad during the anthem on Monday.

James Phillips, 28, and Alex Bell, 27, from Newport are based in Qatar and only got tickets this morning.

'Grown men crying'

There have certainly been plenty of tears already in Qatar.

Monday's game was simply about the emotion for some, with Freya Powell, 49, from Bargoed, Caerphilly county, saying: "During the anthem, I turned around and could see everyone had tears in their eyes.

"I could see, through the tears in my own eyes, grown men crying."

There have also been tears in Dubai where dozens of Wales fans have been turned away at the airport - and have missed the match - because a "glitch in the system" meant their entry permit for Qatar has not been accepted.

One person who got in - with her rainbow bucket hat - was former Wales women's captain Laura McAllister.

She had been told to remove the LGBT symbol when entering the stadium for the USA match but Fifa has ordered World Cup organisers to allow rainbow-coloured hats and flags into stadia for the rest of the tournament.

Of course, most Welsh fans watched the game back home in pubs, fans zones and even having lessons suspended in schools, all across the country.

Wales fans sing Yma o Hyd in Cardiff

For one Iranian woman living in Wales, Friday's match was about much more than football.

Shara Atashi, who fled Iran with her mother in 1979 following the Islamic revolution, sees echoes of that time in the current protests happening in Iran.

"When I watch today's scenes of protest, I am reminded of those days: bonfires everywhere, burning tyres, people shouting slogans and spreading flyers," she said.

'Iranians want Wales to win'

Ms Atashi, a writer with German citizenship, moved to Wales in 2019 and made it her adopted home, as it "gave me back my original identity".

Because of the situation in her home country, Ms Atashi was supporting Wales.

"The Islamic Republic [Iran] coach has told Iranian protesters not come to the stadium to protest. That shows how authoritarian this whole system is.

"I want people in Wales to know that Wales will be playing against the Islamic Republic, not a team of honourable athletes. That Iranians want Wales to win because the Iran team does not represent Iranians."

Shara Atashi believes the World Cup should serve as a "platform for political protests"

"It does not happen often that the people of a country want their own country's football team to lose. It is not enough that this team did not sing the national anthem," added Ms Atashi.

"They should drop out of the games and join the protests."

Mehdi Darian, 42, originally from Iran but who lives in Cardiff, also supported Wales with his family.

He moved back to Wales with his wife Siobhan, 43, who is from Cardiff, and sons Nathaniel, eight, and Noah, three, after living in Dubai for 10 years.

Mehdi said Nathaniel almost "smashed the house down" when the USA scored against Wales on Monday

"[Nathaniel] is properly following Wales, he cried - he almost smashed the house down when America scored," said Mehdi.

"He asked me, he said 'who are you going to support, Wales or Iran?' I said obviously Wales.

"I could see the happiness in his face.

"Nobody supports the current situation going on in Iran. We believe in representing the people, which the Iranian regime does not."

He added: "I used to be a goalkeeper myself, when Iran lost to England my friend texted me 'go get your gloves and go to Qatar to help your team'.

"I was like 'no that's not my team, my team is Wales'. I see myself as a Welshman because my family is Welsh."

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Lessons on hold

Schools across Wales paused lessons to allow pupils to watch.

Matthew Evans, head of Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf in Cardiff, said multiple school halls and gymnasiums were set up to show the match.

"We've seen an increase in bucket hats and random singing of Yma o Hyd on the yard and on school corridors," he said.

Head teacher Matthew Evans says watching the match is optional, but expects the attendance to be "very high"

Back in Qatar, Sian Thomas, 52, from Cardiff, said: "Seeing a massive Wales flag next to the World Cup trophy [at the opener], I just thought we had arrived.

"Now we know what to expect. There won't be as much pressure and hopefully we'll get the job done."

It has been a lifetime of waiting for Gwilym Francis, 62, from Carmarthen, who described himself as "like a child at Christmas" for the opener.

Optimistic Gwilym has tickets to the World Cup final