Melbourne pulls World Cup screenings from Federation Square after fan incidents

Federation Square will not host World Cup screenings for the first time in more than two decades, a decision that has drawn a sharp backlash from players, officials and fans across Australia.

The move, announced on Wednesday by venue management, ends a long-standing tradition of public viewings in central Melbourne, where hundreds of thousands have gathered since the 2006 tournament.

Management cited safety concerns linked to past incidents. During the 2022 World Cup, celebrations turned chaotic at times, with injuries reported after flares and projectiles were used. Similar issues resurfaced during the 2023 Women’s World Cup, when fans stormed barricades during the semifinal between Australia and England — prompting organisers to cancel a planned screening of the third-place playoff.

“After careful consideration, we’ve made the decision not to show the World Cup on Fed Square’s Big Screen this year,” said Katrina Sedgwick. “This is due to the behaviour of a small number of people at previous screenings which was simply unacceptable and damaging to Fed Square.”

The reaction from the football community has been swift. Critics argue that the decision penalises the majority of supporters for the actions of a small group. Patrick Clancy of the Football Supporters Association Australia pointed to the global visibility of past gatherings, saying:

“The pictures and videos of Fed Square during World Cup 2022 went viral around the world, we want to see this repeated.”

Football Australia also pushed back, urging authorities to reconsider. Chief executive Martin Kugeler said the move cuts against Melbourne’s identity as a major sporting hub.

“Melbourne is one of Australia’s ⁠sporting and multicultural capitals, and this decision goes against this ⁠tradition,” he said.

Players have joined the criticism. Sam Kerr, captain of the national women’s team, responded bluntly on social media: “booooooooo”.