Brisbane will join other Australian capital cities in airing Socceroos and other matches during the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off next week, at a big-screen hub in the inner city.
Opening in the South Bank Cultural Forecourt from 7am on Sunday, June 14 – seven hours before Australia is set to play Turkey – the site will screen all Socceroos matches, with organisers teasing possible additional screening days.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the live site was “truly special”, with viewing areas offering extended viewings and nearby food trucks.
“Queenslanders have waited four long years for the FIFA World Cup to come around again, and to see our mighty Socceroos in action again on the world stage will be something special,” Crisafulli said.
The site was backed by the state government, Brisbane City Council and council-owned Brisbane Economic Development Agency, as well as South Bank Corporation.
Live site and match schedule:
Sunday 14 June – Site open: 7am – 5pm
- 8am – Brazil v Morocco
- 11am – Haiti v Scotland
- 2pm – Australia v Turkey
Saturday 20 June – Site open: 4am to 4pm
- 5am – Australia v USA
- 8am – Scotland v Morocco
- 10am – Brazil v Haiti
- 1pm – Turkey v Paraguay
Friday 26 June – Site open: 5:30am – 3pm
- 6am – Ecuador v Germany & Curaçao v Côte d’Ivoire
- 9am – Tunisia v Netherlands & Japan v Sweden
- 12pm – Paraguay v Australia & Turkey v USA
While the site would be free to access, organisers said capacity would be limited on screening days, and encouraged football fans to register their interest via the Visit Brisbane website before arriving to ensure they had a place. They said additional dates, including knockout-stage games, may be added to the schedule later.
The site was expected to open on each game day as early as 4am to facilitate live viewing, and would close as early as 3pm – offering a “family-friendly” atmosphere.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner pitched the venue as a great opportunity to activate the city’s hospitality scene and affordable public transport.
“From lunch by the river to World Cup action on the big screen, we’re encouraging everyone to make a day of it and enjoy the best of Brisbane while backing local business and embracing 50¢ fares,” he said.
Football Queensland chief executive Robert Cavallucci said the event would be unmissable, and bring action from the World Cup – hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico – closer to home for Queenslanders.
Brisbane joins other Australian capitals in hosting a live site, including Sydney and Melbourne which have six and three live sites respectively, after the Victorian government overturned an earlier decision not to host a pop-up site at Federation Square.
Site management agency Melbourne Arts Precinct reached the original decision because of previous “unacceptable and damaging” behaviour from football fans in previous screening events, including one instance where fans lit more than 120 flares during one match in 2022.
Organisers for Brisbane’s live site said safety would “remain a priority at each event”, and with security present at the site.
The screenings will be largest FIFA Men’s World Cup live events in Brisbane since 2022, when the Socceroos made their deepest run at a World Cup in more than 15 years.
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