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Sport Football World Cup ITV apologise after Saudi national anthem interrupted before Argentina World Cup match Pictures briefly cut out as Herve Renard’s side sang their national anthem before the match at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar
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Subscribe Already subscribed? Log in Thousands celebrate World Cup's opening match Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
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Your support makes all the difference. Close Read more ITV has apologised after Saudi Arabia’s national anthem was interrupted before their Group C World Cup match against Argentina.
After Lionel Messi and the Albiceleste’s anthem, it was the turn of Saudi Arabia at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
But pictures soon cut away, with several interruptions as Herve Renard’s players sang the anthem.
ITV’s commentator Sam Matterface then made a swift apology.
“Welcome back here to the Lusail Stadium, north of Doha. We want to apologise for the brief loss of pictures during the Saudi national anthem,” said the lead commentator.
Presenter Laura Woods provided an update at half-time: “It was a world feed issue, experienced by all broadcasters around the world.”
After the broadcast cut out, fans quickly took to Twitter to complain, with others experiencing issues with ITV Hub on their streaming devices.
Graeme Souness took time in the pre-match discussion to criticise Newcastle United's Saudi Arabian owners, insisting the Gulf state should be “nowhere near” the Premier League club.
"Football is such a vehicle for good and bad,” he said. “You know, the sportswashing that's going on in our own country. Newcastle... there's no way the Saudis should have Newcastle United. They shouldn't be anywhere near it.
“But it's not an ideal world that we're operating in. The Saudis have invested in our country for decades. Football now has such a profile that the Saudis see, the people of Abu Dhabi see it, and the Americans see it. It's a chance to improve whatever brand they're involved in."
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