Add Category
Sydney football fans have questioned why there is no central public place to watch the Socceroos' World Cup games, after scenes from Melbourne's Federation Square during Australia's game against Tunisia went viral.
Key points:
- There is no central live site to watch World Cup games in Sydney
- A petition has been launched to screen the Australia vs Denmark match at the Opera House forecourt
- Pubs and clubs can stay open for the game after the state government extended trading hours
Luke Di Stefano has started a petition calling on the New South Wales government to organise a live site for fans to watch the critical game against Denmark at 2am (AEDT) Thursday.
"For Sydney not to have a venue, a public venue for the biggest football games since 2006, it's quite mind boggling," Mr Di Stefano told ABC Radio Sydney.
Mr Di Stefano launched the petition after watching Australia beat Tunisia 1-0 on Saturday night at a pub.
"The atmosphere was unbelievable, everyone up and down cheering, going crazy," he said.
"I got home thinking that was the best night of my life."
But then he saw the footage of fans going wild in Melbourne and realised it could have been so much bigger.
"I was like, holy crap, what did I miss there? Where is that for Sydney?"
While Darling Harbour has previously screened FIFA World Cup games, Mr Di Stefano suggested the Sydney Opera House forecourt.
The New South Wales government has extended trading hours for licensed venues, allowing pubs and clubs to stay open to 5am to screen the FIFA World Cup match.
"The FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest global sporting events, with more than half the world tuning in for the last cup in 2018," Hospitality Minister Kevin Anderson announced on Monday.
"With these extended trading hours, fans will be able to gather at their local hotel or club to cheer the Socceroos to victory."
Passion underestimated
Darling Harbour screened FIFA World Cups on giant screens in 2006 and 2010, with tens of thousands of people turning up to watch Australia play in the middle of the night during winter.
Many fans are disappointed there is no free, central gathering point this time.
Matt Greenlaw, co-founder of A-League news website The Football Sack, said the passion and support for football in Australia was often underestimated.
"Wouldn't it be amazing if the scenes that we saw from Melbourne were replicated at 2am somewhere in Sydney?" he said.
Mr Greenlaw helped organise a live site in Summer Hill, in Sydney's inner-west, for Saturday's game against Tunisia, which kicked off at 9pm.
Despite its success with more than 500 people of all ages attending, it looks set to be a one-off event due to the unsociable hours of the other matches.
While it might be too late for the state government to step in in time for the Socceroos' match against Denmark, if Australia makes it through to the next stage, the pressure will be on to organise a public screening.
"I would love to call on whoever is in charge — if it's Dom Perrottet or the mayor of Sydney — to put something on for what will be a huge moment in Australian football and a huge moment for the Socceroos," Mr Greenlaw said.
"And why not a huge moment for Sydney?"
Out of council's hands
A City of Sydney spokesperson said the council had not received any applications to host a live site for the World Cup.
The spokesperson said the council would welcome a live site at the Opera House forecourt, but it was the responsibility of the NSW government.
"The city has no jurisdiction or authority on state land or any other landowners within the LGA.
"Therefore, we cannot approve activities within sites such as Tumbalong Park, Opera House, Royal Botanic Gardens etc."
The ABC has contacted the NSW Minister for Sport for comment.