Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, warned that the World Cup’s ticketing system has slipped, leaving Dutch and Japanese supporters shoulder‑to‑shoulder in Dallas. He called the absence of fan segregation “not normal” for a tournament of this scale and said the mingling of rival crowds poses a real security risk and could spark clashes among rival supporters.

FIFA officials admit they cannot trace who owns tickets after massive resale activity, undermining the 8% allocation meant for each participating association’s supporters. Evain noted fans were barred from displaying flags in the stadium, a departure from prior tournaments, and cited a recent Los Angeles court ruling that prohibited Iran’s pre‑revolutionary flags as political symbols.

The patchwork of venue‑specific enforcement, from staff pulling flags to applying NFL‑style security, shows FIFA has little practical control over the event. Without a unified code of conduct, fan behaviour and safety remain unpredictable, and the tournament risks repeating these inconsistencies across future matches. Fans and police alike struggle to identify authorized groups, complicating crowd management.

Evain urges FIFA to publish a clear, venue‑wide policy on tickets, flags and permitted items before the next round. He believes a standardized approach would restore order and give supporters confidence that their safety is prioritized, and could undermine the event’s reputation.