There were angry scenes outside the England vs Wales stadium tonight after every flag was checked and measured before the match.
The official “flags and banners evaluation area” was set up and manned by six security guards. Anyone taking footage of the flags being measured was asked to delete it.
Furious supporters claimed they had been allowed to take their banners into earlier games but not this one. Max Thomas, 27, was allowed to take his Coventry city flag in. He said: “It took me five minutes but I got it in.”
Southampton fan Glenn Hawkins from Cholesey, Oxon said: “We’ve had the issue about my flag before but I was always eventually allowed in - but not tonight. This is my 18th match of this particular tournament and this is first time I have been banned.”
The checks come just 24 hours after a pitch invader ran on the pitch in the Group H clash between Portugal and Uruguay with a rainbow flag. Activist Mario Ferri ran onto the pitch at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar wearing a Superman T-shirt bearing the words "Save Ukraine " on the front and "Respect for Iranian woman" on the back.
Security officials chased after Mr Ferri, who was also holding a rainbow-coloured flag, before he was escorted away. Fifa and the Supreme Committee confirmed in a statement that Mr Ferri was released "shortly after being removed from the pitch" and said his Hayya Card - an identity card - has been cancelled and he has been banned from attending future Qatar 2022 matches.
Mr Ferri, who is described in his Instagram bio as a footballer and influencer, updated his followers on Tuesday saying "I am free".
"So many emotions right now. No legal consequence I am free," Mr Ferri's Instagram story - translated using an online translator - read on Tuesday.
In a post, the activist wrote: "I will call it 'the last dance' my last run on a playing field. I wanted to send important messages for me that I have lived on my skin in the past months..."
Mr Ferri went on to share messages regarding the plight of Iranian women, the controversial attitude at Qatar 2022 towards LGBTQ+ support, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"Thanks for all the messages of love coming to me from the world, Iran and Ukraine," he wrote. "Breaking the rules if you do it for a good cause is never a crime."
Mr Ferri's Instagram Stories show him in Qatar ahead of Portugal's showdown with Uruguay - later he shared footage from the stands during the game, zooming in on Cristiano Ronaldo with the caption "eccolo il mio dio" or "here is my god".
The 35-year-old has a profile on transfermarkt.com, a website which logs the careers of footballers - it describes him as an Italian right midfielder who joined Italian side ASD Castel di Sangro in the summer.
Mr Ferri has a history of pitch invasions, entering the pitch during Belgium and USA's 2014 World Cup knock-out match, once again wearing his Superman T-shirt but with the words "Save Favelas Children" on it.
When Napoli played Juventus in 2017, he also made an appearance, with his Instagram referencing the time he threw a scarf in the face of Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain.
Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and anyone found participating in same-sex sexual activity can be punished with up to seven years in prison.
