Australian FA Urges Reversal Of 2026 FIFA World Cup Watch Party Ban

The Australian Football Association has called for Melbourne authorities to overturn a decision blocking public watch parties for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Federation Square.

The governing body said it was “extremely disappointed” after the Melbourne Arts Precinct ruled out hosting live screenings, citing past incidents involving dangerous fan behaviour.

Football Australia chief executive Martin Kugeler argued the move clashes with the city’s sporting heritage and multicultural identity.

“The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world and unites Australia’s multicultural communities, while reinforcing our national identity,” Kugeler said.

“Live sites create iconic moments for Australian sports fans. Melbourne is one of Australia’s sporting and multicultural capitals, and this decision goes against this tradition.”

Melbourne Arts Precinct chief executive Katrina Sedgwick defended the call, telling the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that safety concerns drove the decision.

“This issue is really with a very small group of fans who, unfortunately, behave in a way that is just antisocial and frankly, dangerous,” she said.

Sedgwick pointed to previous screenings where flares were smuggled into crowded gatherings, leaving some spectators injured.

“On the final night of the last Socceroos game we screened, we counted over 100 flares and fireworks that had been let off in the square,” she added.

The controversy comes as the Australian national soccer team prepares for their 2026 campaign, opening against Turkey in Vancouver on 13 June, before facing the United States in Seattle and Paraguay in California.

Former Socceroo Craig Foster also criticised the ban, writing on social media that “all stakeholders should be working to overturn this absurd decision”.