ElClasico: La Liga’s world-class event

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The crowd roars as the ball comes to Lionel Messi, he takes a shot at goal, but it’s blocked by a defender. Soon after Gareth Bale hits the back of the net, but the score is overturned by VAR. By the time the final whistle blows neither team has been able to score and 93,246 passionate football fans walk away without a winner being decided. The last time fierce rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid faced off at Camp Nou was in 2019 – however this weekend’s ElClasico will take on a very different look.

While there will be no fans at the first ElClasico since the COVID-19 pandemic, La Liga is still striving to provide the best entertainment experience possible for its fans.

The first La Liga ElClasico was played in 1928 and the match between Barcelona and Real Madrid has grown to become one the of biggest rivalries in world sport.

The game itself features some of the best players in the world including Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Gerad Pique, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Antoine Griezmann.

Then there is the work being done off the field by La Liga to promote the match internationally and provide the best coverage possible.

Red carpets bearing the competing clubs’ logos and an ElClasico logo have been placed at landmarks all over the globe. In Australia, a red carpet has been placed in the vicinity of the Sydney Opera House.

The other red carpets are located in the United States, United Kingdom, India, Senegal, Colombia and Tajikistan.

More than 100 ElClasico events have also been organised across the world. This includes watch parties in Vietnam, Dubai, South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya while a number of drive-in cinemas will be showing the match in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina.

Digital events have been planned for counties where COVID-19 restrictions are in place.

La Liga said that ElClasico provides entertainment like no other event.

“Though governmental health restrictions mean fans won’t be in the Camp Nou stands for this first ever ElClasico behind closed doors, LaLiga has ensured that fans around the world will still be able to come together for the greatest show in club football,” La Liga said in a media release.

“Everything is in place for the return of ElClasico, the best footballers in the world and the best fan experience possible.”

ElClasico is the most-watched club game in football with the upcoming match expected to reach around 650 million fans worldwide.

La Liga ambassador and former Real Madrid captain Fernando Hierro spoke of the game’s worldwide appeal at the La Liga Ambassadors Gala on Tuesday.

“Earlier, the Real Madrid-Barcelona matches had more domestic and national interest. But it started growing and became more international. It now attracts global interest, and it will be widely viewed,” Hierro said.

A series of technological innovations for the broadcast of this year’s La Liga ensure that the coverage of the match is of the highest standard. The innovations include 360 degree replay technology, a virtualised visual crowd, crowd noise and the use of drones to provide new camera angles.

The league had already been working on implementing some of these technologies but expanded to include the virtual crowd and crowd noise due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

La Liga’s head of audio-visual programming and production Roger Brosel said that the league wanted to offer the best audio-visual show for its fans.

“We have been working for four years now, trying to be innovative and having the aerial cameras and all the 360 replay technology, this year is just another step forward,” he said.

“We wanted to introduce these technological innovations related to virtual … to allow the fans to concentrate on the match and the way that things were being played without the negative impact caused by an empty stadium.”

“From our department what we are trying to do is be more attractive for people all around the world.”

For the 2020/21 La Liga season the new graphics and stats are powered by artificial intelligence and augmented reality.

La Liga uses its Media Coach platform to integrate data into the broadcast. The platform was originally only used by technical staff and coaches but is now also used to show tracking, performance, and match data during the broadcast.

The AR graphics and statistics appear on the ground during the broadcast to add to the match experience.

Roger Brosels also said that there had to be a balance between using data and graphics and letting viewers enjoy the match.

“Data is very interesting, and it contributes something but too much live data can distract viewers, or it can mean that the match experience isn’t as good.”

“The producing team are very sensitive to this issue, they introduce the data when it contributes something, adds something extra to the match storytelling.”

La Liga is also extending the ElClasico experience to the internet and social media. The league’s social media channels will be posting content in the build up to kick-off. An online fan zone will also be launched where fans will be able to win replica shirts, while La Liga’s website will also have an ElClasico section.

The teams are evenly matched heading into this weekend’s game, Real Madrid has 73 ElClasico wins while Barcelona trails on 72 wins – there have also been 35 draws.

ElClasico is being broadcast live in Australia on beIN Sports, the match is scheduled to be played this Sunday at 1am (AEDT).

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If Australia Wants to Be a Football Nation, We Need to Stop Scheduling Against the Socceroos

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Image Credit: ABC News

Jake Stringer isn’t a football analyst, a broadcaster or a football administrator.

Yet this week, he articulated a frustration many Australian football fans have felt for decades.

Following Australia’s opening match at the FIFA World Cup, the former AFL star labelled it a “disgrace” that AFL fixtures were scheduled head-to-head with the Socceroos, questioning why Australian sport would compete with one of the country’s most important sporting events rather than embrace it.

Whether you agree with Stringer or not, his comments touch on a much larger issue.

For all the discussion about football’s growth in Australia, the game still struggles to receive the national recognition afforded to comparable moments in other sports.

The Socceroos are not simply another national team.

They are Australia’s most globally relevant sporting side.

The argument that football remains a niche sport in Australia becomes increasingly difficult to sustain when the Socceroos take the field.

Their opening World Cup victory over Türkiye attracted a total television audience of 4.78 million Australians, with an average audience exceeding three million across SBS and SBS On Demand. SBS confirmed it was the third most-watched free-to-air event of 2026, while World Cup coverage had already reached more than eight million Australians during the tournament.

These are not football numbers.

They are national event numbers.

The Socceroos’ 2-0 victory, powered by goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, generated nationwide interest that extended far beyond football’s traditional supporter base. It was one of those increasingly rare sporting occasions capable of capturing the attention of millions of Australians simultaneously.

When an event is attracting audiences measured in the millions and commanding national attention, it ceases to be simply a football fixture. It becomes a moment of national significance.

Now the question is why Australian sport still struggles to treat one of its most globally relevant teams as a national asset rather than a competitor.

The argument from competing codes is usually straightforward: schedules are set years in advance, broadcasters have obligations, and domestic competitions cannot simply stop every time the Socceroos play.

That is true.

But there is a significant difference between maintaining a schedule and actively competing against a national moment.

Other sporting nations understand this distinction.

When major national teams compete on the world’s biggest stage, rival sports often find ways to accommodate, promote or at the very least avoid directly undermining the occasion. Not because they are required to, but because there is an understanding that national representation transcends code wars.

In the United States, the NBA adjusted its 2026 Finals schedule to avoid a direct clash with the USMNT’s opening FIFA World Cup match against Paraguay. It was not a charitable act towards football, but a recognition that a home World Cup creates a national sporting moment too significant to ignore.

That is the point Australia still struggles to grasp.

When the Socceroos play on the world stage, it should not be treated as just another football broadcast competing for space. It should be viewed as a national event.

One that rival codes can acknowledge without diminishing themselves.

 

Missed opportunities

The irony of the current approach is that everyone loses.

Football loses potential viewers and momentum.

Competing codes lose the opportunity to align themselves with a rare moment of national unity.

Most importantly, Australian sport misses the chance to present itself as a collective ecosystem rather than a collection of competing tribes.

This is particularly significant as Australia prepares for one of the most important decades in its sporting history.

Australia’s football rise

The Socceroos have now qualified for six consecutive FIFA World Cups and continue to build on the momentum generated by their remarkable run in Qatar. Under Tony Popovic, expectations are growing that Australia can once again challenge on the world stage.

At the same time, football participation continues to rise nationally, women’s football is experiencing unprecedented growth, and Australia is positioning itself as a major player in the global game.

Yet moments that should be celebrated nationally still feel like they require justification.

Perhaps that is why Stringer’s comments resonated.

They did not come from a football insider defending his own code.

They came from someone outside the game looking in and questioning why Australia would choose competition over collaboration when the Socceroos are representing the nation.

The real conversation is not whether one AFL round should move or whether broadcasters should alter their programming.

The question is much bigger.

If we genuinely believe football has a place at the centre of Australia’s sporting landscape, then our biggest football moments should be treated as national sporting occasions—not just football occasions.

Until that happens, Australian football will continue fighting a battle that most football nations settled long ago.

Futsal receives major boost in NSW through new partnership

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Image credit: Football NSW

Carbiz will become the new Naming Rights Partner of Football NSW‘s premier futsal competitions in a deal set to run for two years.

 

Committed to growth

From its beginnings as a second-hand car dealership in 2016, Carbiz has seen incredible growth over the past decade. It now operates as Australia’s leading replacement car provider with over 12 branches, 200 staff and 500 partnerships.

No strangers to progress, hard work and community support, the Carbiz family is now aligning itself with one of Australia’s fastest-growing sports. Through this partnership, Carbiz will support the continued rise of futsal across New South Wales and the broader Australian football landscape.

“This is a fantastic partnership for Football NSW and for futsal in our state,” said Football NSW CEO, John Tsatsimas, via press release.

“Carbiz is a brand built on service, resilience and community values, which strongly aligns with our own vision for football and fustal in New South Wales.”

In 2022, futsal participants across Australia reached 58,453 – an 8% increase on the previous year. In 2025, however, this number rose to 63,425. Numbers in NSW also saw growth in this period, increasing from 4,682 to 5,230.

So with the highly-regarded and community-driven Carbiz backing the game’s development in NSW, futsal will launch into an exciting future.

 

Community connection

Competition and the desire to win are key aspects of any game – especially football.

But at the heart of the grassroots game is a fundamental wish to unite the local community. Thus, finding partners who understand this commitment – and are eager to match it – is so essential.

Furthermore, Carbiz CEO, Alex Rodov, outlined why the company aligns so well with Football NSW’s futsal future.

“At Carbiz, we’ve always believed that strong communities are built through connection, opportunity and teamwork.”

“Sport plays a vital role in bringing people together, and futsal is one of the fastest growing and most exciting forms of the game.”

“As a proudly Australian owned business, we’re excited to support a competition that creates opportunities for young athletes, strengthens local communities and inspires the next generation.”

The agreements will see the newly-named Carbiz Futsal Premier League and Carbiz Futsal Premier League 2 become key environments which support talent development, local participation and engagement with futsal as a whole.

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