Chaos as World Cup supporters fear they're ‘going to die’ as thousands crowd into the Qatar fan zone

QATARI riot police pushed back crowds as thousands of supporters were caught in a crush as they attempted to enter the World Cup fanzone.

Football fans were left packed shoulder-to-shoulder as the festival area with bars and a big screen was sealed off by cops at Al Bidda Park, Doha.

Tens of thousands of fans were left jostling for position as they attempted to file into the fanzone.

Riot cops armed with batons and shields were seen standing guard at the entrance - as mounted cops moved through the crowds.

Some fans were left pleading with officers to let them inside as the crowds built up.

Children were seen in pictures being plucked from the crowd as the scary crush worsened.

Qatar is expected to see its population swell by nearly 40 per cent during the World Cup as more than a million fans are expected to descend on the tiny emirate.

It is piling major pressure on the country's infrastructure - with Qatar never before holding an event of this scale.

Billions of pounds have been spent getting the country ready, but questions have already been raised if Qatar can handle the World Cup.

And a rag-tag policing alliance including notorious French riot cops and Turkish commandos have been assembled to try and control the crowds.

The incident last night followed a similar crush on Saturday when people trying to enter a pre-World Cup concert at the fanzone were met by police.

Hatem El-Berarri, an Iraqi who said he was working in neighboring Dubai, said: "It's very risky. People they could die.

"Old people, women, they cannot handle crowds like this. Thank God I’m a little bit tall, so I can breathe.

"But I saw some kids and said, ‘Get them up. They cannot breathe'."

He said he saw the crowds having to push and shove each other, with some fans being left in tears.

Hatem added: "My family is inside. I cannot enter to see them anymore. I don't know what to do.

"[The organization is] not very good."

It was unclear last night if anyone was arrested or injured.

Luis Reyes, a Mexican-American living in Los Angeles, compared the scenes to the horror Halloween crush in South Korea that killed 150 last month.

He said: "You can't go back and you can't go forward. I told my son, ’Let's go outside. It's too dangerous."

However, inside the fanzone things seemed calm - with people dancing and singing after Ecuador beat the host nation 2-0.

The fanzone is one of the few places alcohol can be served - but it is expensive and only available at certain times of day.

Some locals said they were unhappy beer was still being sold, despite an intervention last week by the Qatari Royal Family.

Mahdi Hussain, a 17-year-old who did not manage to enter, said: "That bothers me.

"I don't want to be in an atmosphere where there is alcohol."

England kick off their tournament today with a clash against Iran - as a cloud continues to hang over the World Cup.

The football extravaganza has faced major questions over the suitability of Qatar as a host nation.

Strict cultural laws, confusion over the availability of alcohol, and the readiness of the facilities have all caused problems.

And there was even more controversy today as it was revealed Harry Kane will now NOT wear the One Love armband for England's World Cup opener - because Fifa warned he would be booked.