{"id":43099,"date":"2026-07-02T19:28:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T19:28:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/43099\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T19:28:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T19:28:20","slug":"how-world-cup-watch-parties-in-pubs-and-cafes-became-australias-new-favourite-hobby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/43099\/","title":{"rendered":"How World Cup watch parties in pubs and cafes became Australia’s new favourite hobby"},"content":{"rendered":"

They were just supposed to be somewhere to watch the match. World Cup viewing parties have ended up becoming so much more.<\/p>\n

It’s quiet, then loud.<\/p>\n

By now, so many Australians know the rhythm.<\/p>\n

A shuffling walk down suburban streets in the typically early morning chill.<\/p>\n

The warm glow of a business \u2014 maybe a favourite pub or cafe \u2014 not normally open at such odd hours.<\/p>\n

Then, a blast of noise and life.<\/p>\n

Weak projectors and strong cups of coffee.<\/p>\n

SBS on the telly.<\/p>\n

Tension and exhilaration.<\/p>\n

Strangers just moments ago, now bound by a joyous communal bond.<\/p>\n

As the nation eagerly awaits another pre-dawn kick-off<\/a>, World Cup watch parties are in danger of becoming a beloved national pastime.<\/p>\n

Large scale live sites like Melbourne’s Federation Square have become staging points for some of the most euphoric Socceroos and Matildas moments.<\/p>\n

They are only part of the picture.<\/p>\n

\"Large Fans in Paramatta watching Australia vs USA in the early hours.(ABC News: Digby Werthmuller)\"A A crowd watches a Socceroos game on a big screen at a viewing site in Footscray, in Melbourne’s west.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

The World Cup is now the scaffolding within which something far bigger is being built.<\/p>\n

On a smaller but no less lively scale, the tournament has prompted Australians all over to congregate in neighbourhood community settings<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“We are human beings, we like to enjoy ourselves, we like a good party,” Emeritus professor of Cultural Research at Western Sydney University, David Rowe said.<\/p>\n

“It is, in some ways, a vehicle for avoiding alienation from each other. There is a shared cultural practice here.”<\/p>\n

\"A SBS has dominated Australian screens throughout the World Cup.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)\"A A dog watches on as a Socceroos match is screened at a suburban pub.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)\"A Socceroos fans cheer on Australia at a surburban pub.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

On a recent Wednesday morning, hidden from view in a Brunswick backstreet, dozens of early-risers squeezed past a cafe coffee machine into a type of makeshift sports cinema.<\/p>\n

Conditions were dreadful \u2014 a 6am kick-off in the sobering cold of a Melbourne mid-winter hump day.<\/p>\n

The match \u2014 a grinding nil-all draw between Ghana and England that the BBC would later describe as “dour”.<\/p>\n

The vibe \u2014 an ecstatic, deep Saturday night-like club party, sound-tracked by laughter, intermittent screams and spontaneous bursts of music.<\/p>\n

\"A Emmanuel Mensah and Ghanaian friends celebrate during a World Cup watch party in Melbourne.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

Adjoa Nkrumah dashed back down the road at half-time to grab some drums from home.<\/p>\n

“People make jokes about it, like it’s the closest we’ll get to world peace, but it is truly such a beautiful cultural display” she said.<\/p>\n

“It’s an opportunity for people to engage across cultures, within community, and just to see the best that the world has.<\/p>\n

“I love this time every four years.”<\/p>\n

\"A Melburnian Adjoa Nkrumah supports Ghana at a World Cup watch party in Brunswick.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

Inside the viewing party, condensation coated the windows as steam snaked from flat whites and crispy Ghanaian fritters called Koose.<\/p>\n

Zarah Garbrah, a 29-year-old Melburnian with Ghanaian-Italian heritage, could be seen beaming and shrieking in equal measure.<\/p>\n

\"A Ghanaian fans gathered early in the morning in Melbourne to watch their team take on England in the group stage.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

“The vibes are high, the energy is high,” she said.<\/p>\n

\"Two Ghana fans hug at a World Cup watch party in Melbourne, after their team held England to a nil all draw.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

“The theme of today is just unity \u2014 coming together and celebrating and just being a part of something bigger than yourself.<\/p>\n

\"A Emmanuel Mensah supports Ghana at a World Cup watch party in Melbourne.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

“I think you can really feel that when you come into spaces like this that celebrate your identity, that celebrate culture, that celebrate where you’re from.<\/p>\n

\"A A Ghana fan celebrates while watching a World Cup match in Melbourne.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

“Now more than ever it’s important, because I think we can feel a sense of change in the world.”<\/p>\n

‘Our home is Australia’<\/p>\n

A few suburbs over, the city’s small Brazilian community congregated on the old cobblestone floors of North Melbourne’s Meat Market for a more generous mid-morning Saturday kick-off.<\/p>\n

Later in the day they would celebrate Festa Junina, the winter solstice party that rivals Carnival on the Brazilian cultural calendar.<\/p>\n

But first, it was time for football.<\/p>\n

\"Three Brazil fans at a World Cup watch party in Melbourne.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)\"A Brazilian beef and chicken skewers at a World Cup watch party.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)\"Trays Brazilian fried cheese balls.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)\"A Brazilian supporters cheer for their team at a watch party in Melbourne.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

“You’re talking about people who\u2026 AJHHH That’s a goal!! Vinicius!” exclaimed Alba Chliakhtine, breaking off mid-thought about why the World Cup matters so much to Brazilians.<\/p>\n

“The World Cup is a passion in Brazil because it is a popular sport, but it’s also a way that many get out of poverty.”<\/p>\n

\"Woman Alba Chliakhtine is a passionate advocate for the Brazilian community in Melbourne.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

Children wearing the bright yellow of the Sele\u00e7\u00e3o balanced on their parent’s knees, gripped to the action.<\/p>\n

Saturday morning language classes \u2014 a ritual for so many multicultural families \u2014 were folded into the viewing party.<\/p>\n

“The Portuguese classes, they are very important to the children who are born here or came here very early in life. It just looks a bit different today,” Ms Chliakhtine said.<\/p>\n

“There are a couple of teachers that will be talking to them, [explaining in Portuguese] what is a goal, what are they celebrating, so they understand that cultural aspect that they haven’t come across before.”<\/p>\n

\"A Children watching on as Brazil play Haiti.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)\"A A father and son take in a Brazil game at a World Cup viewing party.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)\"People The Brazilian watch party was a precursor event to a bigger celebration of Festa Junina.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)\"Man, A family enjoys the action at the watch party for a Brazil World Cup match.(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

For Ms Chliakhtine, who moved to Australia in 1988, the moment fused together two of her great loves.<\/p>\n

“I love my Brazilian heritage, but we are very proud to say we are Australian citizens.<\/p>\n

“We were born in Brazil, but our home is Australia.”<\/p>\n

No party politics, just party<\/p>\n

Why then, for a country guilty of occasional ambivalence toward the world game, does the World Cup provoke such urgent displays of public unity?<\/p>\n

Sitting semi-distracted by a TV showing a group stage match behind him, it is a question academic David Rowe has considered at length.<\/p>\n

\"A Fans, in Melbourne’s west, embrace and celebrate while watching Australia play.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

“This is one of the moments where you perhaps get a sense that this is what a nation feels like,” Mr Rowe said.<\/p>\n

\"Seen Socceroos fans celebrate, along with those on the big screen, at a live viewing site in Footscray, in Melbourne’s west.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

“These great high holidays of sport are also high holidays of the nation.<\/p>\n

\"People Faces in the crowd watching a Socceroos World Cup group stage match from a live site in Melbourne’s West.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

“It can be that most people don’t encounter the nation that much in their everyday lives.<\/p>\n

\"A Hoisting the Australian flag and holding green and gold scarves, Socceroos fans celebrate at a gathering in Footscray.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

“This is the moment where you kind of get to see it, maybe feel it.<\/p>\n

\"A A supporter celebrates a Socceroos win at a watch party in Melbourne’s west.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

“It’s not just an intellectual exercise. It’s one that involves the heart, the body.”<\/p>\n

Back in Brunswick, Nima Sobhani wandered into the Little Homey cafe to grab a coffee but stayed for the early-morning Ghanaian party.<\/p>\n

“I’m just kind of blown away by the atmosphere and energy. I wish every Wednesday morning could be like this,” he said.<\/p>\n

“I think the World Cup is just a perfect catalyst to demonstrate all that’s good about this country.”\"A Fans celebrate during a World Cup watch party in Melbourne.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)\"A England and Ghana fans embrace at a World Cup watch party in Melbourne after their teams drew nil all in the group stage of the World Cup.\u00a0(ABC News: Jeremy Story Carter)<\/p>\n

Under the oppressive and absurd spectre of a confected monoculture vs multiculturalism debate<\/a>, there might be a temptation to ascribe a type of political significance to such gatherings.<\/p>\n

Even at 6am on a Wednesday, the exhausting political noise was easily drowned out by song and laughter.<\/p>\n

The moment was too exhilarating, too human.<\/p>\n

“It’s so beautiful to see how people come together,” Adjoa Nkrumah said.<\/p>\n

“You see people with their flags on the street, but it doesn’t feel intimidating or funny.<\/p>\n

“It’s just fun. It’s joyous.”<\/p>\n

Credits<\/p>\n

Reporting, photography and digital production: Jeremy Story Carter<\/a><\/p>\n

Video: Shayne Mawere<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"They were just supposed to be somewhere to watch the match. World Cup viewing parties have ended up…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":43100,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[3708,1194,33539,7059,33538,7061,33535,33536,33537,7066,260,4303,4721,33534,33533,7060],"class_list":["post-43099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-melbourne","tag-brazil","tag-cafe","tag-david-rowe","tag-fed-square","tag-festa-junina","tag-fifa","tag-ghana","tag-ghanaian-melbourne","tag-live-site","tag-matildas","tag-melbourne","tag-pub","tag-socceroos","tag-viewing-party","tag-watch-parties","tag-world-cup"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43099","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43099"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43099\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}