Reimagined FIFA Fan Festival experience to debut at Qatar 2022 before heading to Australia and New Zealand

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FIFA
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FIFA is set to debut a reimagined fan destination and on-site entertainment experience for fans at future FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup events called the FIFA Fan Festival.

Beginning with World Cup Qatar 2022, this multidimensional, inclusive event will provide new ways for fans to celebrate their shared passion for football and experience the best in music, entertainment, local culture, food, games and lifestyle trends in a true festival environment.

Formerly known as the FIFA Fan Fest, this one-stop destination for fans previously appeared at four editions of the World Cup – starting with the 2006 World Cup Germany – and welcomed almost 40 million visitors across five continents.

Following its debut in its new form in Qatar later this year, the FIFA Fan Festival will premiere at the Women’s World Cup at the tournament in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand in 2023.

“To support our mission to make football truly global, accessible and inclusive, we are thrilled to introduce a new vision for the entertainment experience surrounding future FIFA World Cup events,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

“The FIFA Fan Festival provides an incredible opportunity for fans to come together beyond the stadiums and the on-pitch action and experience football in new and unique ways. We are truly excited about the future of the FIFA Fan Festival and the enhanced entertainment offerings that will bring fans and partners alike closer to both men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups, as well as global football culture.”

The newly reimagined FIFA Fan Festival was designed to tap into the unique energy felt around major FIFA competitions. It will give all types of fans – from avid supporters to casual football enthusiasts and lovers of music, food and culture – new ways to connect and engage with football in a fun, entertaining and festive atmosphere.

For the World Cup Qatar 2022, the FIFA Fan Festival will be held at one central location at Al Bidda Park in Doha over the 29 days of the tournament (November 20 – December 18 2022). This go-to destination for fans on-site at Qatar 2022 will feature the following attractions:

  • Live broadcasts of every match on giant screens, with views of Doha’s futuristic skyline in the background
  • Concerts starring top global and local music acts and live works by internationally acclaimed performance artists
  • A food court offering unique culinary experiences featuring local cuisine and international delicacies
  • Unique football matches with FIFA Legends, in addition to interactive physical and digital football gaming stations for fans of all ages
  • Innovative sponsor activations, as well as an official FIFA Store with licensed FIFA World Cup products

FIFA will also extend the reach of the event around the world by enabling fans to watch, experience and interact with content from the FIFA Fan Festival through the FIFA+ digital platform. Throughout Qatar 2022, fans will be able to access content from the FIFA Fan Festival by visiting the World Cup page on FIFA+.

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Football Australia Expands Mental Skills Program for Match Officials Amid Sustained Focus on Referee Retention

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football Australia has confirmed a second national webinar for match officials, led by sports psychologist Dr Liam Slack, extending a referee development series introduced after strong engagement with an initial session on managing match-day pressure.

The upcoming session, themed “parking with purpose,” will focus on decision-making strategies designed to help referees process on-field calls and reset attention quickly across a match that can present hundreds of individual decisions. Dr Slack, who also consults with The Football Association and the AFC Referee Academy and previously spent over a decade as a performance psychologist with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited in England, brings substantial elite-level experience to a program open to officials at every level, from grassroots to professional.

The theme builds on work Dr Slack has already delivered within Australian officiating. He recently led a session with Football Australia’s National Referee Academy on the same concept, framing the ability to consciously park a decision and refocus on the next phase of play as a trainable skill rather than an innate trait, one that separates officials who reset quickly under pressure from those who don’t. He has also addressed more than 100 Football Australia elite match officials and staff on developing a stronger match-day mentality, an indication of how embedded this psychological framework has become across the officiating pathway rather than remaining a one-off intervention.

The expansion of the webinar series reflects a broader shift in how football administrators are approaching referee attrition. Rather than treating retention purely as a recruitment or pay problem, the program signals an institutional acknowledgment that the psychological demands of officiating, particularly the compounding pressure of split-second decisions under public scrutiny, are a material factor in whether officials remain in the game.

It rests alongside other measures adopted across Australian football in recent years, including visible identification programs for junior referees and structural reviews of referee departments at state federation level, all aimed at the same underlying issue: a shrinking pool of match officials relative to demand.

Football Australia has not detailed metrics for assessing the program’s impact on referee numbers, though the recurring engagement of an internationally credentialed specialist across multiple tiers of the officiating pathway suggests sustained institutional investment in the approach.

Football Victoria elevates fan enjoyment with Streets partnership

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Image credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com

Football Victoria (FV) revealed last week a new partnership with ice cream giants, Streets. The brand will become an exclusive ice cream partner for the next three years.

 

An iconic brand for joyful experiences

As a well-known and popular ice cream brand with people all around the nation, Streets will now look to support the fan experience in Victoria through its products.

It reflects FV’s commitment to delivering a family-friendly and memorable experience for spectators. Both on and off the pitch, the organisation is striving to elevate the experience for fans and families alike.

“Football Victoria is always looking for ways to elevate the experience at The Home of The Matildas, and this partnership does exactly that,” explained FV Executive Manager of Commercial and Facilities, Chris Speldewinde.

“It’s a fantastic fit for our community and we’re looking forward to what the next three years will bring.”

Furthermore, Senior Brand Manager at Streets, Ryan Katz, emphasised the brand’s role in community sport and in creating memories beyond the action on the pitch.

“Streets is proud to join Football Victoria as its exclusive ice cream partner,” Katz said.

“There’s nothing better than enjoying a great game with a classic ice cream in-hand, and we’re excited to be part of those moments across the state.”

 

Understanding community football

Community football is all about these moments. Sunny days, the family together, and a sweet treat in-hand while supporting a local team alongside friends and neighbours.

This is why a partnership between FV and Streets is particularly important.

Not for its commercial value, but for what it tells us about both parties’ understanding of what matters to fans. From young fans to experienced matchday-goers, everyone wants to find enjoyment while watching the game.

And while the 90 minutes of action is the focus, the experience of a local matchday is truly defined by interactions with fellow supporters and smaller – but no less significant – moments of happiness during the day.

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