The Matildas’ history-making clash against England has smashed Australian viewing records.
The team’s Women’s World Cup semi-final against the Lionesses reached 11.15 million viewers nationally on Wednesday night, drawing an average audience of 7.13 million on Seven and 7Plus.
The numbers mean it’s the most-watched TV program in Australian homes in more than 20 years and the country’s biggest-ever streaming event, with 957,000 online viewers included in the tally.
The game peaked at 6.9 million viewers on broadcast, with an 89.8 per cent commercial audience share in total people.
7plus dominated bring-your-own-device viewing with a 76.2 per cent share. In live streaming, it had an 84.4 per cent share.
Seven’s coverage of the cup has reached 14.04 million broadcast viewers so far, plus another 3.4 million on 7plus.
Hordes of fans flocked to live sites across the country to tune into the game, which the Matildas lost 3-1, with thousands packing into Melbourne’s Federation Square to cheer on the women in green and gold.
But the exuberance of the Victorian event was dampened after police had to contend with unruly young men in the crowd.
Officers were constantly trying to ensure fans’ safety, but spectators breached temporary fences multiple times.
More than 50 flares were set off, with some thrown into the crowd.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said she wasn’t aware of anyone being injured.
“Overall, it was a challenging night for our members out at Federation Square, where we saw a large, rowdy group of mainly male youths, part of the active supporter groups, discharge and throw a significant number of flares,” she said.
Police doled out fines of more than $960 to four males, aged between 16 and 23, for possessing flares, and cautioned another 16-year-old boy for throwing a flare.
Detectives are investigating the use of flares at Federation Square and have secured CCTV footage.
Fans were expected to gather at Federation Square again on Saturday to watch the Matildas take on Sweden in a bid to secure third place in the World Cup.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp suggested the event might not go ahead because of the behaviour at Wednesday night’s screening.
“(It’s) really disappointing,” Ms Capp told Melbourne radio station 3AW.
“So if we could find those idiots and make sure they don’t attend, then Fed Square will be going off again, but unfortunately, sometimes the few ruin it for the rest of us.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said anyone who used flares at Federation Square should have the book thrown at them, and Victoria Police would make an assessment about whether it was safe to host Saturday night’s screening there.
However, he said he hoped a few bad apples wouldn’t lead to the site no longer being used to screen major events.
“(Flares) are dangerous and I don’t think those people represent the vast majority of soccer fans, football fans who want to enjoy what is an absolutely spectacular game, the beautiful game,” Mr Andrews told reporters.
In NSW, fans endured long delays getting home from Sydney’s Olympic Park on Wednesday night after a suspected act of vandalism threw the rail network into disarray.
The incident at Ashfield affected trains from about 10pm, about the time the semi-final, which England won 3-1, wrapped up in front of a crowd of more than 75,000.
Two men aged 47 and 33 have now been charged by NSW Police.
The Matildas will take on Sweden in the play-off for third place at 5.30pm on Saturday.
