Son of former Socceroo Bill Rorke to organise the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar

Bill Rorke was a Socceroos pioneer during the country’s first ever World Cup qualifying campaign. Now his son Liam will be pulling the strings behind the scenes at the 2022 opening ceremony in Qatar.

Just like with all World Cups, former Socceroos goalkeeper Bill Rorke will be excited to watch the world’s best footballers put on a show over the next month.

But ahead of the opening match on Monday morning he’ll have an extra reason to get up at the wee hours to tune in: his son Liam will be playing a key role in bringing the tournament’s opening ceremony together.

Liam Rorke will be working as a segment producer for the event, which will take place in the Al Bayt Stadium at around 1:00am Australian time, just before the opening match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador at the same venue.

“Oh, I wouldn’t miss it. It doesn’t matter what time it’s on, I’ll be watching it,” says Bill, who earned nine international caps for Australia in the 1960s. This famously included a game against North Korea in the country’s first World Cup qualifying campaign in 1965, when Rorke replaced Aberdare Rangers junior teammate John Roberts in goals to make his international debut.

In Qatar, his son Liam will be part of a different team, one responsible for everything related to the artistic production of the opening ceremony.

Former Socceroos goalkeeper Bill Rorke with his son Liam, who is a segment producer for the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar. Photo: supplied.

“We’ll be overseeing the artistic elements like costumes, props, wardrobe, stage management, creative choreography – all those creative, artistic elements of the show,” says Liam, who grew up in Sydney’s Inner West.

“You just need to be thinking, ‘How do we make sure that everything is where it needs to be, when it needs to be there?’”

While remaining tight-lipped about the ceremony itself and who might perform, the 31-year-old says he may also step out from his usual spot behind the scenes and make his way into the middle of the action.

“All I’ll say is that I’ll be involved in headline talent. So we have some global stars who will be a part of this show that haven’t been publicised yet, and my role will be co-ordinating and communicating their movements to make sure that they’ve arrived on time, get into their costume and make-up on time, make sure that their microphone works and is tested, and make sure they’re moving from the green room to the field of play at the right time.

“And in this one I think I’m actually going to be walking with one of these performers into the middle of the field, so that’ll be something I haven’t done before, which is cool.”

Liam Rorke will be working behind the scenes at the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, to be held at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar. Photo: supplied.

His involvement in the World Cup opening ceremony caps off a remarkable few years for the 31-year-old.

As someone who had previously been involved in performing arts and theatre, Liam made his debut in the ceremonies field at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018 after a friend recommended him for an available position.

He impressed, and after that was headhunted to work on the Dubai Expo 2020. He was then sought out again to work on the opening and closing ceremonies of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games earlier this year, before receiving a late call-up for the World Cup.

“We had our first night in the stadium and I was standing on the touchline, essentially in the manager’s dugout, watching the rehearsal of the show, and I was thinking, ‘How did I get here?’ It is a real combination of work and luck,” says Liam.

“The last couple of years have been a bit of a whirlwind. And that’s why I had that moment of, ‘Wow’. It’s really cool to be here. I feel really grateful and really lucky.”

Liam (left), pictured with Polish football superstar Robert Lewandowski, has also worked on major events such as Dubai Expo 2020 and the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and 2022. Photo: supplied.

Being able to work at the World Cup is also another huge milestone for the football tragic, who is a keen Socceroos and Liverpool fan.

“Football is a huge, huge passion of mine. I’ve been a hugely passionate football fan since probably 2006 when Australia qualified for the World Cup,” he said.

“Once I got into ceremonies in the past couple of years I thought, ‘I wish I could work on Qatar’. I didn’t think it would happen because of the timing (the Commonwealth Games only finished in September).

“But then someone had to step aside and a role came up unexpectedly. I had a friend who I’d worked with at Expo who helped me get that break. To be here and working on the World Cup really is a dream come true, and I’m so, so grateful for that opportunity.”

A goalkeeper, Bill Rorke played for Australia during the 1960s. Photo: supplied.

It won’t be all work for Liam in Qatar, however; he has managed to secure tickets to no less than 21 games.

“I wasn’t going to pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said. “I’ve never been to a World Cup game, so I thought that I’ll be here anyway. I’m going to treat myself and spend a lot of time and money watching matches.”

As for the football, apart from the Socceroos going on a run, Liam says he would like to see a legend finally lift the Jules Rimet Trophy.

“There would be something nice about Argentina winning it, given that it’s going to be (Lionel) Messi’s last World Cup. But in knockout games, anything can happen.”

Back at his home in Toronto in Lake Macquarie, Bill says the thought of his son walking out onto the pitch in front of a full house in Qatar brings back memories of how he, as a 19-year-old goalkeeper, walked out in front of 65,000 screaming fans at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for his debut back in 1965.

“How does that happen? 50-odd years ago I was in Australia’s first ever World Cup qualifiers, and now he’s a producer at a World Cup finals opening ceremony. I’m chuffed about it.”