May 6, 2026 • 5 mins
Christian is joined by Alex to discuss the World Cup and the decision to not show the games at Federation Square in Melbourne. They're talking about the impact on the city's sports-loving community and the potential consequences of this move. Christian shares his thoughts on the importance of coming together as a nation during the World Cup.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
I Heeart podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
You can hear more Gold one I four point three podcasts,
playlist and listen live on the free I Heart app.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Got anything good? Hey, this is the Christian O'Connell show podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Now we're going to talk about the World Cup. And
I know some of you might not be a big
soccer fan. To me, the World Cup isn't about that.
It's about something bigger. It's not just about the game
and whether your team is winning or losing. Like sport generally,
it's a chance for people to get together. And especially
in this world how we are now, we're becoming more
and more divided. And when I moved to Australia, I
couldn't believe there even the states are divided. What kind
(00:50):
of sport they like in Victoria' So I never mentioned
NRL on the radio, Christian. If you want to win
Melbourne in Sydney's up, we don't care about that support.
It's all about NRL here and so soccer. Look what
happened with the Matildas and in twenty twenty two with Australia,
the soccer is making it until a final sixteen for
the only the second time whole country gets swept up.
(01:11):
It's national pride all coming together. Outside of the what
the Olympics, there's no other really opportunity for Australians to
put aside state differences. Whether you're an A our AFL
don't care for either of the egg shaped sports to
actually get around each other and come together and sport
support each other and your country in a world tournament.
(01:33):
The reasonhy we're talking about this is yesterday they're now
said in Melbourne, you'd have seen these the footages so
many times over the years of fed Square in Melbourne,
of fans watching games celebrating. They're not going to do
it next month for the World Cup, and I think
it's a real shame. It's a big wing for Darling
Harbor twenty twenty two. Incredible scenes there as well at
the pavilion. You saw the scenes there. Have a listened
(01:56):
to this from twenty twenty two to so much passion
and really speaks to what I think. I think Melbourne's
is going to miss out this year with the World
Cup in us getting around each other and together with
the team they're.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Qualified by the skin of their teeth. The team that
qualified with.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
The dancing gold heavers just equal our greatest ever record
of this tournament, our first clean see in thirty six years,
an entire.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Country believing again that we can match it with the
world in the world's game. You're telling me this couch
doesn't our football. It is four in the morning on
of tours. But look at this in.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
A crowd so young, half of them aren't even born
last time we made the knockout stages.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
This is football in Australia.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
It's growing with a diverse crowd that looks like the
real Australia, with a diverse squad that looks like the
real Australia, that celebrates like the rest of the world,
with flares and limbs and emotion that only this game
and only this tournament.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Can give you.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
That that's what we're not going to get. Yeah, in Melbourne,
I think it's a real shame and so Alex you'll
know more about this.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, Alex, what is it. They're worried about safety.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Yeah, so the Melbourne Arts Precinct, so they're in charge
of Federation Square, very famous part of Melbourne where everyone
goes to watch sport. They're saying that no, we're not
going to show the games because of flares and there
were some injuries last year and they're worried that people
are going to get hurt again. I say, absolutely, boohoo,
that's absolute rubbish. Of course we should be there. Of
(03:21):
course fans should go to Fed Square. Fed Square is
the place to watch the soccerus, the Matilda's any other
sporting game. I can't believe this. It's like saying to
the great people of Lei like Art, Norton Street and
Sydney where everyone goes to watch the World Cup during
the World Cup, you can't show games at your cafes
on Norton Street. There would be an absolute right in
Sydney of that happened. So Fed Square, come on, wake
(03:42):
up to yourselves for arts precinct, Let's get soccer. Let's
get all the sport back there at fed Square.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Well said.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
And also just like think about how many people are
at the MCG every weekend. They could be smuggling in
flares and stuff like that. Can't they do searching or
something that. Can't they search people or do something to
go and see. I don't want anyone getting injured, or
the police or the people staffing it to be injured.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
But it feels like Melbourne's so prised itself on being.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
The capital of sport in Australia and for it not
to have a public space where they've been doing their
every World Cup for so many tournaments genuinely heartbreaking. I
can't believe that it won't It won't look right as
we're going around seeing cities jumping up and down, rejoicing
as we progress through to the tournament and I really
think we can make it into the final sixteen and
beyond again as well, that you're not going to see
(04:28):
that in Melbourne. Nothing in Melbourne. Sydney's got it Perth
or other and been Brisbane as well and Adelaide, but
nothing in Melbourne.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Yeah, you think, like when I think of the World Cup,
and because it's obviously never in Australia except for the
Women's World Cup, that's our only connection to it. Otherwise
we're just isolated in our own reason in that there
people in the middle of the night four am. You know.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
It's just there's something we don't get enough chances to
come together and support Australia on a global stage, not
just here in the country. I just can't believe it's
not going to be so. Alice, do you think it's
a proper final decision.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
No, I think the Football Australia is really urging them
to reverse the is there's a huge ground swell of
support to get football back on the screen at Fit Square.
I think it'll turn around. I think it'll happen. You
cannot deny the great people of Melbourne this wonderful, wonderful
facility for sports. So I think common sense will provide.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
The other thing is.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
We we've got a big empty radio station in the
morning here. I'm happy to turn it into a fan
zone would be awesome. Just now, Rio said Hooligan's in.
You're part of the problem. You're lucky if one in
five thousand is a hooligan.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Christian O'Connell show on podcast
I Heeart podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
You can hear more Gold one I four point three podcasts,
playlist and listen live on the free I Heart app.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Got anything good? Hey, this is the Christian O'Connell show podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Now we're going to talk about the World Cup. And
I know some of you might not be a big
soccer fan. To me, the World Cup isn't about that.
It's about something bigger. It's not just about the game
and whether your team is winning or losing. Like sport generally,
it's a chance for people to get together. And especially
in this world how we are now, we're becoming more
and more divided. And when I moved to Australia, I
couldn't believe there even the states are divided. What kind
(00:50):
of sport they like in Victoria' So I never mentioned
NRL on the radio, Christian. If you want to win
Melbourne in Sydney's up, we don't care about that support.
It's all about NRL here and so soccer. Look what
happened with the Matildas and in twenty twenty two with Australia,
the soccer is making it until a final sixteen for
the only the second time whole country gets swept up.
(01:11):
It's national pride all coming together. Outside of the what
the Olympics, there's no other really opportunity for Australians to
put aside state differences. Whether you're an A our AFL
don't care for either of the egg shaped sports to
actually get around each other and come together and sport
support each other and your country in a world tournament.
(01:33):
The reasonhy we're talking about this is yesterday they're now
said in Melbourne, you'd have seen these the footages so
many times over the years of fed Square in Melbourne,
of fans watching games celebrating. They're not going to do
it next month for the World Cup, and I think
it's a real shame. It's a big wing for Darling
Harbor twenty twenty two. Incredible scenes there as well at
the pavilion. You saw the scenes there. Have a listened
(01:56):
to this from twenty twenty two to so much passion
and really speaks to what I think. I think Melbourne's
is going to miss out this year with the World
Cup in us getting around each other and together with
the team they're.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Qualified by the skin of their teeth. The team that
qualified with.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
The dancing gold heavers just equal our greatest ever record
of this tournament, our first clean see in thirty six years,
an entire.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Country believing again that we can match it with the
world in the world's game. You're telling me this couch
doesn't our football. It is four in the morning on
of tours. But look at this in.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
A crowd so young, half of them aren't even born
last time we made the knockout stages.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
This is football in Australia.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
It's growing with a diverse crowd that looks like the
real Australia, with a diverse squad that looks like the
real Australia, that celebrates like the rest of the world,
with flares and limbs and emotion that only this game
and only this tournament.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Can give you.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
That that's what we're not going to get. Yeah, in Melbourne,
I think it's a real shame and so Alex you'll
know more about this.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, Alex, what is it. They're worried about safety.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Yeah, so the Melbourne Arts Precinct, so they're in charge
of Federation Square, very famous part of Melbourne where everyone
goes to watch sport. They're saying that no, we're not
going to show the games because of flares and there
were some injuries last year and they're worried that people
are going to get hurt again. I say, absolutely, boohoo,
that's absolute rubbish. Of course we should be there. Of
(03:21):
course fans should go to Fed Square. Fed Square is
the place to watch the soccerus, the Matilda's any other
sporting game. I can't believe this. It's like saying to
the great people of Lei like Art, Norton Street and
Sydney where everyone goes to watch the World Cup during
the World Cup, you can't show games at your cafes
on Norton Street. There would be an absolute right in
Sydney of that happened. So Fed Square, come on, wake
(03:42):
up to yourselves for arts precinct, Let's get soccer. Let's
get all the sport back there at fed Square.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Well said.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
And also just like think about how many people are
at the MCG every weekend. They could be smuggling in
flares and stuff like that. Can't they do searching or
something that. Can't they search people or do something to
go and see. I don't want anyone getting injured, or
the police or the people staffing it to be injured.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
But it feels like Melbourne's so prised itself on being.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
The capital of sport in Australia and for it not
to have a public space where they've been doing their
every World Cup for so many tournaments genuinely heartbreaking. I
can't believe that it won't It won't look right as
we're going around seeing cities jumping up and down, rejoicing
as we progress through to the tournament and I really
think we can make it into the final sixteen and
beyond again as well, that you're not going to see
(04:28):
that in Melbourne. Nothing in Melbourne. Sydney's got it Perth
or other and been Brisbane as well and Adelaide, but
nothing in Melbourne.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Yeah, you think, like when I think of the World Cup,
and because it's obviously never in Australia except for the
Women's World Cup, that's our only connection to it. Otherwise
we're just isolated in our own reason in that there
people in the middle of the night four am. You know.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
It's just there's something we don't get enough chances to
come together and support Australia on a global stage, not
just here in the country. I just can't believe it's
not going to be so. Alice, do you think it's
a proper final decision.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
No, I think the Football Australia is really urging them
to reverse the is there's a huge ground swell of
support to get football back on the screen at Fit Square.
I think it'll turn around. I think it'll happen. You
cannot deny the great people of Melbourne this wonderful, wonderful
facility for sports. So I think common sense will provide.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
The other thing is.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
We we've got a big empty radio station in the
morning here. I'm happy to turn it into a fan
zone would be awesome. Just now, Rio said Hooligan's in.
You're part of the problem. You're lucky if one in
five thousand is a hooligan.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Christian O'Connell show on podcast
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com