MELBOURNE, May 6 (Reuters) - Melbourne’s Fed Square will not show any World Cup matches on its big screen for the first time in over 20 years due to poor fan behaviour during Australia’s games, the venue’s management said on Wednesday.
Hundreds of thousands of fans have gathered in the heart of Melbourne’s central business district to watch Australia matches at the square since the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Video of fans celebrating wildly went viral during the 2022 tournament in Qatar when Australia advanced to the round of 16. A number of incidents soured the celebrations, though, with fans being injured by flares and projectiles.
Fans stormed barricades during the 2023 Women’s World Cup semi-final between Australia and England, prompting management to cancel plans to screen the Matildas’ subsequent third-place playoff at the square.
‘DAMAGING TO FED SQUARE’
