Welsh pub that banned England fans from watching World Cup clash responds to heavy criticism
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Thousands of Wales and England fans will flock to pubs this evening to watch the Group B fixture - kicking off at 7pm tonight - but one pub in Cardiff decided to limit which fans can enter.
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O'Neill's, in central Cardiff, said on Monday that it was concerned about 'extreme levels of passion and support' and had therefore made the decision to limit the pub to just Wales fans.
The match is the first time the two countries have played each other at a World Cup, and the chain of Irish bars said it wanted to create a 'safe atmosphere' for fans.
A spokesperson for the pub told Wales Online: "For the safety and comfort of all our team and guests, we have taken the decision to be a 'Home Fan Zone' tomorrow evening.
"This means we will only be allowing supporters of the Welsh team into the business.
"The extreme levels of passion and support on show for this particular game are like nothing we have ever seen before, and we want everyone to enjoy it in a safe and friendly atmosphere.
"Many thanks for your understanding, and we look forward to watching a great game. Cymru am Byth!"
But after a fair amount of criticism, O'Neill's decided to reverse its decision, explaining on Tuesday there would be security in place to make sure the bar is a safe environment.
They wrote on Twitter: "We have made the decision to welcome both Wales and England football fans to watch the exciting World Cup 2022 tie this evening. As always, we will have security in place to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for everyone to enjoy the football."
Prior to the change of heart, fans had been pretty shocked by the decision. One person wrote online: "What a terrible decision.
"Whatever weak messaging this World Cup did have about bringing people together has been tarnished by this offensive decision."
The match will see Wales go head to head with England, who are currently top of Group B with four points. They'll need to avoid defeated by four goals to qualify.
Meanwhile, Wales would need to win if they want to progress in the competition. The country's last appearance at the World Cup was back in 1958.
