Federation Square skips 2026 World Cup screenings

Melbourne's Federation Square will not screen any matches from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending a two-decade tradition of public viewings that drew hundreds of thousands of fans to the city's central business district.

The Melbourne Arts Precinct, which manages the venue, announced the decision on Wednesday, citing unacceptable behavior by a small number of attendees at previous tournaments. Incidents included fans injured by flares and projectiles during Australia's 2022 World Cup celebrations after advancing to the round of 16 in Qatar, and supporters storming barricades at the 2023 Women's World Cup semifinal against England, which led to the cancellation of the subsequent third-place playoff screening. "After careful consideration, we've made the decision not to show the World Cup on Fed Square's Big Screen this year," Precinct CEO Katrina Sedgwick said in a statement. "This is due to the behaviour of a small number of people at previous screenings which was simply unacceptable and damaging to Fed Square."

She told public broadcaster ABC that over 100 flares and fireworks were counted during one 2022 Socceroos game screening, with some injuries resulting from smuggled...