Organisers of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup are promising Saturday's traffic and catering problems at North Harbour Stadium will be resolved in time for tomorrow's match.
Fans were stuck in traffic getting to and from the tournament's opening match. At the stadium, there were long queues for hot chips before and during the game.
Fans at the match between New Zealand and Ukraine at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Fifa Under-20 World Cup chief executive Dave Beeche said the problems had been reviewed by FIFA, Auckland Transport and the council's tourism and economic development agency ATEED.
Only 12 percent of the 25,000-strong crowd used public transport to get to the stadium, he said, which meant more cars clogged up roads already busy with holiday weekend traffic.
The game also coincided with a busy shopping day at Albany's Westfield Mall, next door to North Harbour Stadium.
Extra buses will be put on for tomorrow's game between the Junior All Whites and the United States.
Organisers have called for more people to use public transport and say that while the hour-long wait for some buses after Saturday's match was longer than ideal, measures being put in place will ease that situation.
Mr Beeche said FIFA had also spoken to the caterers, who did not anticipate the huge demand for hot chips over all the other fast food options on offer.
Rows of chicken wraps went untouched in the food cabinets, while the queues for chips took about 45 minutes.
The caterers have reviewed their processes and will be better prepared should there be high demand for hot chips again, Mr Beech said.
"We've put a huge range of different food options in there but for whatever reason the hot chips were the most popular on the day."
North Harbour stadium is set to host another eight matches during the competition including the final which is scheduled to be played on Saturday 20 June at 5pm.
