Football Supporters Association Australia chair Patrick Clancy says the decision to not host a World Cup live site at Federation Square risks Melbourne being seen as a “second rate sports capital”.
Despite hosting some of the most memorable sporting moments in Australia’s World Cup history, dating back to 2006, and also including the Matildas’ 2023 World Cup campaign on home soil, it has been decided that a small number of fans’ unruly behaviour in the past involving flares, which saw the fire brigade called during the Socceroos’ 2022 Round of 16 clash with Argentina in 2022, made it untenable to host a live site screening of games again.
The Herald Sun quoted Melbourne Arts Precinct chief executive Katrina Sedgwick describing that behaviour as “simply unacceptable and damaging to Fed Square”.
Clips of Australia’s football fandom in the middle of the night at Fed Square went viral across the planet during the 2022 World Cup, and at the time, was described as proof of the deep football culture and passion that the World Cup unearths every four years in Australia.
Clancy’s statement in response, in full, called out that this decision robs the opportunity for this showcase of passion for Australia’s football fans.
“Football is Australia’s most popular team sport by participation with its roots through every region and culture of the nation.
“Every four years, the World Cup demonstrates the popularity of the world game with tens of thousands packing out live sites around Australia for every Socceroos game, despite games often being in the middle of the night.
“The pictures and videos of Fed Square during World Cup 2022 went vital around the world. We want to see this repeated!
“We most recently saw this again with the Matildas games during the Women’s World Cup in 2023. The atmosphere at live sites including Federation Square was extraordinary and the support passionate. It is something you simply don’t see with other sports.
“Federation Square is, by far and away, the best place for a World Cup live site in Melbourne. All efforts must be made by the State Government, the City of Melbourne and Fed Square management to make it happen.
“Without Fed Square being a live site, Melbourne will be at risk of being seen as a second rate sports capital.”