World Cup digest: FIFA ticket problems, Iranian players refuse to sing national anthem, concussion issues

FIFA said on Monday that some fans were having difficulty accessing their tickets for England's opening match against Iran after reports that hundreds of spectators were still in line outside the venue ahead of kick-off.

"Some spectators are currently experiencing an issue with accessing their tickets via the FIFA Ticketing app," world soccer's governing body said in a statement. "FIFA is working on solving the issue."

A Reuters witness outside Khalifa International Stadium in Doha said that only a handful of spectators were still seeking assistance in obtaining their tickets 15 minutes after kick-off in the Group B clash.

Players of Iran's national soccer team chose not to sing their country's anthem at their opening World Cup match against England on Monday, in an apparent show of support for protesters back home.

The players were silent as the anthem was played at the Khalifa International Stadium, where Iranian fans gathered in the stands shouted as the music was played. Some were seen making thumbs-down gestures.

More than two months of protests in Iran, sparked by the death of a young woman in the custody of the morality police, are one of the boldest challenges to Iran's clerical leaders since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iranian state television, during its live broadcast, censored the footage of the players lining up before the match as the anthem was played.

The squad has lost fans back home, however, with many people accusing them of siding with a violent state crackdown on protesters, including women and children, who are seeking the fall of the Islamic Republic.

The soccer team, historically a huge source of national pride, had been a point of focus in Iran in the run-up to the World Cup, with anticipation over