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Melbourne venue drops World Cup broadcasts for first time in two decades
Federation Square in Melbourne will not show any matches from this summer's World Cup on its large outdoor screens, breaking a 20-year tradition after repeated safety breaches by spectators.
Why the screens are going dark
The Melbourne Arts Precinct, which operates the central city plaza, announced on Wednesday that past tournaments had seen "unacceptable and damaging" conduct. Footage from the 2022 Qatar World Cup showed fans setting off flares and hurling objects, injuring bystanders. During the 2023 Women's World Cup semi-final between Australia and England, supporters broke through security barriers, forcing the cancellation of the Matildas' third-place playoff broadcast.
"After careful consideration, we've made the decision not to show the World Cup on Fed Square's Big Screen this year. The behaviour of a small number of people was simply unacceptable and damaging."
Katrina Sedgwick, Melbourne Arts Precinct director and CEO
Football bodies push back
Football Australia immediately called on the Victorian government to overturn the ruling, calling it "disappointing" and detrimental to fans, local businesses and the state's reputation. Chief Executive Martin Kugeler noted that Federation Square had hosted iconic moments since the Socceroos' 2006 World Cup campaign and the 2023 Women's World Cup.
Patrick Clancy, chair of Football Supporters Association Australia, added that the square's 2022 celebrations had become a global talking point and urged a return to that atmosphere.
Tournament schedule and next steps
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, runs from 11 June to 19 July. Australia's group-stage fixtures include matches against Turkey, Paraguay and the United States.
Football Australia has not ruled out last-minute talks with the precinct and state officials, but no formal review has been announced.
