Stadium screenings ‘too much of a logistical challenge’, as South Bank site extended and King George Sq opened to fans

Tens of thousands of Brisbane football fans will be able to converge on two huge outdoor venues to back the Matildas on Wednesday night.

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South Bank’s FIFA live site will be expanded and King George Square opened as a live site for the first time, allowing tens of thousands of fans to watch the Matildas’ semi-final match against England on Wednesday’s Ekka public holiday.

With green and gold fever expected to sweep the city, the state government will expand FIFA’s South Bank live site while Brisbane City Council will open King George Square to broadcast the game.

In even better news for fans, on Tuesday it was confirmed that Riverstage would be opened to 9000 fans eager for a taste of the action, taking the total capacity for the city’s public live venues to 23,000.

The King George Square live site and an extra screen extending the South Bank capacity still might not be enough, however, with the state and council in talks about a last-minute addition of extra sites.

While the state government has ruled out opening the Gabba and Suncorp Stadium, additional sites at the Riverstage, Victoria Park and Roma Street are being considered.

But Brisbane won’t follow Sydney and Melbourne in opening stadiums for the match – with Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe declaring it too much of a logistical challenge.

King George Square will be pained green and gold on Wednesday night. Photo Steve Pohlner

“It has been investigated, in terms of the usefulness of those stadia – one of the challenges is that one is actually locked up because it’s a further venue as part of the tournament on Saturday,” he said.

“We’ve also had to consider things around the public transport implications for those spaces as well.

“We felt that it was the right measure to support the (South Bank) live site that people have known and have loved.”

HAVE YOUR SAY

Australia’s heroes were met by scores of cheering fans as they left Brisbane’s Hilton Hotel on Sunday morning after their nation-stopping penalty shootout victory over France at Brisbane Stadium on Saturday night.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, still buzzing after witnessing the win, directed Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe to investigate whether Brisbane’s stadiums could open or additional fan sites built to show Wednesday’s match against England.

“I’m going to talk to the sports minister about that because if we can have some further facilities that are available the public can come and be together,” she said earlier on Monday.

Annastacia Palaszczuk at the FIFA Women's World Cup on Saturday. Picture: Patrick Woods

“As you can see people want to support our Matildas, and you know, it’s better to do it in the crowd I think, but you can do it sitting at home on your couch with your family as well – but it gives people more of an option.”

On the Gold Coast, Mayor Tom Tate committed to a site for local fans to watch the match live, but said council was still deciding on the venue.

“It’s Matilda mania and we want a slice of it,” he said.

“Our events team is scoping out a live site for Wednesday’s blockbuster against England.

“Stay tuned as we look at the Surfers foreshore or Broadwater Parklands.

“An announcement will be made (on Monday).”

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed Melbourne’s AAMI Park will be opened as a live site for the match, while in Sydney it will be shown at Allianz and CommBank stadiums.

South Bank’s FIFA Fan Festival was at capacity during Saturday evening’s match against France and – with Brisbane residents enjoying the Ekka People’s Day public holiday – thousands more people will now be able to turn out there on Wednesday for the clash against England.

Sam Kerr boards the bus to leave the Hilton Hotel in Brisbane on Sunday morning after the Matildas history making quarterfinal win over France. Picture: Lachie Millard

Meanwhile, Australia is also a step closer to a commemorative public holiday, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese set to use Wednesday’s national cabinet meeting in Brisbane to discuss with premiers and chief ministers the possibility of a day off should the Matildas go all the way – however Ms Palaszczuk said she wouldn’t get too far ahead.

“Let’s go one step at a time … let’s wait until that happens and then we can have those discussions,” she said.

“The prime minister has been discussing it with me and I can see his enthusiasm, I’m enthusiastic on this but let’s wait till we get there.”

Nationals leader David Littleproud said while he was supportive of the Matildas, a public holiday would cost business too much.

“I don’t want to be captain killjoy on this, but I think business has a point here,” he told ABC’s Insiders.

“It’s easy to call for a national holiday when someone else is paying for it. I’m proud of the Matildas and every Australian is, and we’re going to be riding it home … but I think we’ve got to understand that someone has got to foot the bill.