Wales and America's tiniest fans meet in Qatar as families travel for World Cup adventure

It takes a lot of effort and organisation to travel half way around the globe for a World Cup tournament - let alone when you have a tiny baby in tow.

However, two families who travelled to Qatar for Wales' opening game against the USA have told ITV news it was worth it to experience history being made.

Richard Gannon and Tara Piekielniak from Barry made the trip with four-month-old Eden and said she has been "amazing" the whole time.

Richard said he always wanted to go to Qatar for the tournament with his "wife's blessing", but they decided to travel together.

"Some people said 'You're crazy taking the baby!', but she can always tell people she was there", he added.

Asked whether it was the right choice, mum Tara said, "Yes, she's been absolutely amazing the whole time, not too bothered by it all.

Richard said he can't wait to tell Eden about it when she is older.

"We've taken loads of videos and photos and hopefully she'll have nice memories when she's older - and hopefully she'll get to go to other World Cups.

"The atmosphere inside the stadium was amazing - made better by the fact we got the equaliser."

Not far away in the stadium were Americans Anthony and Marina Maeda who travelled with six-month-old Akari.

The couple made the trip from Boston, Massachusetts and watched the USA kick off their campaign against Wales.

Dad Anthony said they arrived "against all odds".

"It's a far trip from home, but we're here, we're blessed and we're excited to start the World Cup.

"We're super happy, excited, it's something new for us so it's been great so far.

"People here are so friendly and welcoming to our daughter - we weren't too sure to even come, but now we're here everything is great."

He also said he can't wait to tell Akari about the trip when she is older.

"My sister is big on taking pictures and videos, so we'll show her and she's going to know she's blessed to be here and continue growing in soccer if she wants to.

Mum Tara has high hopes for Akari, "She kicks a lot - even before she was born, so hopefully she'll become a soccer star one day."

Wales managed a 1-1 draw against their opponents at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium.

A tense first-half saw Wales go down by one goal, but a nail-biting penalty from talisman Gareth Bale secured an equaliser ten minutes before full time.

There was controversy ahead of the game as some Wales fans were confronted by security for wearing rainbow bucket hats. 

Fans arriving at the Ahmed Bin Ali stadium told us that they were ordered to remove their hats or face not being allowed in to watch Wales’ historic first World Cup kick-off since 1958.

The hats in question are versions of the iconic Welsh football symbol, designed by LGBT+ football organisation The Rainbow Wall to promote inclusion and equality in the sport.

Laura McAllister - a former Wales national football captain herself - told ITV News that she was stopped by security guards who claimed that her hat was “a banned symbol”.

“I pointed out that FIFA had made lots of comments about supporting LGBT rights  in this tournament, and said to them that coming from a nation where we’re very passionate about equality for all people, I wasn’t going to take my hat off," she said.

"They were insistent that unless I took the hat off we weren’t actually allowed to come into the stadium.”

She said she had a “small moral victory” by managing to sneak the hat through in her handbag. 

Wales now take on Iran in their next group game on Friday at 10am.