MCG could show Matildas quarter-final with France DURING Carlton vs Melbourne showdown as FIFA updates venue chiefs on details

The MCG, SCG and Optus Stadium in Perth will all turn into World Cup live venues before and after Saturday’s AFL games, allowing fans to watch the must-see Matildas’ World Cup quarter-final against France.

Only approval from FIFA and clearing up other logistical issues is needed to stream the game live on the big screen in the three locations, with the AFL giving the go-ahead.

The three venues will be packed for massive AFL clashes, with Melbourne taking on Carlton at 7.30pm, a game already postponed for five minutes after the Matildas beat Denmark in the round of 16 on Monday to progress to the quarter-finals.

A crowd of 60,000 is expected at the MCG, but the Matildas match, which kicks off at 5pm in Brisbane, could be bumped off the big screen if extra time is called for once the AFL match starts or if it turns into a penalty shootout.

However, that remains up in the air with FIFA and the AFL discussing on Friday the potential to continue showing the game on the big MCG screens even as it heads into the Carlton-Melbourne showdown.

The AFL is considering showing Matildas’ quarter-final against France on the big screens at Perth’s MCG, SCG and Optus Stadium

The Announce sun reports that the game could be shown in the first quarter, depending on the outcome of high-level talks.

The publication understands that FIFA wants to show the game in its entirety and does not want it to be shut down when penalties follow and the AFL match has started.

There is also talk of whether the commentary volume on the Matildas game will stay on even when the AFL game has started.

The World Cup match would still be shown on TV in bars and boxes on the ground anyway and it will also be broadcast on the SCG, with members allowed to stay after the Sydney Swans’ game against Gold Coast concludes. Bars and food outlets will also remain open.

Ahead of the western derby between West Coast and Fremantle in Perth, supporters can get to Optus Stadium early and watch the Matildas action on one of the outside screens, with the AFL kicking off at 6.10pm local time or 8.10pm on the East Coast.

The only Saturday AFL venue not to see the Matildas on the big screen is The Gabba in Brisbane, where the Lions take on the Adelaide Crows from 4.35pm.

World Cup broadcaster Channel 7 has also taken the extraordinary step of postponing the 6pm bulletin to allow for the finish of the Matildas match.

League officials were widely criticized last year for releasing the 2023 fixture on the same morning the Socceroos played Argentina in a World Cup knockout match in Qatar.

There is a huge buzz around the Matildas as they prepare for a quarter-final showdown with France, but the hosts will need to win without the most recent goalscorer at this stage of a World Cup.

The AFL was criticized last year for releasing the 2023 fixture on the same morning the Socceroos played Argentina in the Round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar

A crowd of 60,000 is expected at the MCG for a blockbuster Carlton vs Melbourne clash

That player would be Ellyse Perry, who is delighted with how far women’s football has come in the time since she curled a stunning left-footed attack past the Swedish keeper at the 2011 World Cup in Germany.

An expected record-breaking television audience will tune in as Australia attempts to progress past the quarter-finals for the first time in Brisbane on Saturday, and Perry says the hype surrounding the tournament and the Matildas’ ability to rise to the occasion has been “amazing”. to look’.

“As a fan of the Matildas, like the rest of the country, I have a huge sense of excitement to see what the girls have done, not just for their team, but just for women’s sport,” said Perry.

“It’s just been a phenomenal tournament – I don’t think we’ve seen anything like it, and not just the Matildas but every other team involved in the competition – the level they play at, the style they play. play at – the entertainment they provided us all was great to watch.”