Football Australia is calling on the Victorian government to lift a ban on screening World Cup matches at Melbourne's Federation Square, a venue that has been a gathering point for Australian football fans since the Socceroos' historic 2006 World Cup run.
The Melbourne Arts Precinct, which manages the iconic square, announced it will not show this year's World Cup on the big screen, citing "unacceptable and damaging" behavior from a minority of fans at previous events. The decision follows viral celebrations during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where Australia advanced to the round of 16. However, those joyous scenes were marred by incidents involving flares and projectiles that left some fans injured.
The controversy escalated during the 2023 Women's World Cup, when supporters stormed barricades during Australia's semi-final against England, leading to the cancellation of the Matildas' third-place play-off screening at the square. Melbourne Arts Precinct CEO Katrina Sedgwick said the decision was made "after careful consideration" and was driven by the actions of "a small number of people" at previous screenings.
But Football Australia is pushing back. CEO Martin Kugeler described the ban as "disappointing" and urged the state government to reverse it "in the best interests of football fans, local businesses, and all Victorians." He emphasized that Federation Square has been the backdrop for some of Australia's most memorable sporting moments, from the Socceroos' 2006 World Cup debut to the Matildas' historic 2023 campaign.
"Melbourne is one of Australia's sporting and multicultural capitals, and this decision goes against this tradition," Kugeler said.
Patrick Clancy, chair of Football Supporters Association Australia, echoed that sentiment, noting that images of the Fed Square celebrations went viral globally during the 2022 World Cup. "We want to see this repeated," he said.
With the 2025 World Cup set to kick off on June 11, Australia will face Turkey, Paraguay, and co-hosts the United States in the group stage. For fans, the question remains: will they be able to cheer their team on at Federation Square, or will they need to find new gathering spots to celebrate the beautiful game?