Sydney to get 2010 World Cup fan park

FIFA has announced that fan parks, first introduced at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, will be set up in all nine host cities in South Africa and seven other cities across the globe for the 2010 finals.

The fan parks, with giant video screens, will be set up in all nine host cities in South Africa and seven other cities across the globe.

Darling Habrour will be the Sydney venue and the other cities outside South Africa will be Berlin, London, Mexico City, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Rome.

Fan parks attracted 18 million supporters when they were first introduced at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

World Cup organising committee chairman Danny Jordaan said the World Cup was not only going to be a unique African experience but a chance for fans to "discover the warmth and embrace" of the continent.
  
"The world will discover warmth and embrace of African people, too often African people have been misrepresented as aggressive and unwelcoming, this will change that perception," Jordaan added.
  
He said all nine host cities in South Africa as well as Sydney, Berlin, London, Mexico City, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Rome would have fan parks for supporters to watch the action live and free on giant screens.
  
"This is where we want to carve the real event experience, outside the stadiums," he said.
  
Jordaan said the fan parks would enable those who could not secure tickets, or who could not afford them, to watch the matches in a "festive" atmosphere.
  
"The FIFA fan fest will provide an opportunity for millions of our people to watch the matches in a festival environment for free and will also provide an opportunity for small businesses and our musical talents to benefit from this event."
  
Fan parks attracted 18 million supporters when they were first introduced at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.