The FIFA World Cup tournament got off to a fiery start after the opening game was marred by controversy over the ban of beer at the stadium and allegations of bribery.
The drama of the match between Qatar and Ecuador began hours before the game had even begun with allegations Qatar had bribed multiple Ecuadorian players to lose the opening match on purpose.
And it didn't stop there. Five minutes into the game, the referee made a controversial decision that saw Ecuador captain Enner Valencia’s opening goal waved off.
The ruling soon saw videos shared to social media, with one capturing an Ecuadorian fan rubbing his fingers together, gesturing money - insinuating that hosts Qatar had paid a bribe.
A visibly angry Qatar fan nearby was quick to hit back.
"Shut up and sit down," they retorted.
That wasn't the only backlash the host country faced after its last-minute decision to ban beer in the stadium, apart from in corporate boxes, saw uproar from fans attending the tournament.
Ecuador fans could be heard in a video shared on social media chanting "queremos cerveza" - which translates to "we want beer" - throughout the match.
In the first 31-minutes of the match, Qatar fans began filling out in droves from the stadium, and by half-time it is reported the stadium was half-empty.
