A hastily arranged World Cup live site in Civic was so popular some fans had to hang from trees and off light poles or stand on milk crates to get a glimpse of the Socceroos after fan support forced last-minute change this week.
More than 1000 Canberra soccer fans packed into Garema Place on a sunny but chilly winter lunch time to watch the Socceroos book their ticket to the next stage of the tournament.
The only problem apart from the lack of goals in a 0-0 draw against Paraguay was that some couldn't see the screen because of its size and how low it was to the ground.
"What is this? A screen for ants," independent Legislative Assembly member Thomas Emerson posted on social media, a tongue in cheek reference to the Ben Stiller film Zoolander.
He later added: "Many people can't climb up onto a ledge or a mate's shoulders to get a good view. I've already been contacted by a person with disability who made their way to Garema Place but couldn't see a thing.
"Events like these are fantastic at bringing our community together and activating our CBD. We need a much better set up for the next game though.
"Let's lean into this opportunity and make the next one a great experience for everyone who shows up."
It was a party vibe across the capital as offices and schools stopped to watch the clash, with the Socceroos doing enough to qualify second in their group.
The government organised the Civic live site after a fan-led push to set it up to be an outdoor option as well as the government-organised venue at the University of Canberra.
The turnout was promising given the short notice, and across town Governor-General Sam Mostyn joined in the party vibes when she mixed with punters at The Dock in Kingston and even getting her own chant from the soccer fans.
"The fans were changing, 'we love you Sam ... we do. We love you Sam ... we do. Oh Sam we love you'," Dock co-owner Ben Alexander said.
"Her Excellency was a great sport and a genuine crowd favourite."
The Garema Place crowd was made up of mostly Civic workers and university students decked out in green and gold.
Socceroos fan Cassandra Jones came to Garema Place on her lunch break to watch.
"I've been following [the process of the live site set-up] because I was keen to see it in Civic," she said. "I was a big supporter of it."
"Atmosphere-wise, it's just better, and it's great to see everyone come together and support the local shops."
Supporters took advantage of deals prepared by local businesses for the occasion, sharing pizzas and ice creams.
Sports Minister Yvette Berry attended the watch party as well, crediting Events ACT with the quick turnaround.
"This is what people wanted, right?" she said. "They saw what was happening around the country and they spoke very loudly... so we went, OK, we'll set [a live site] up for you."
Emma Ilijoski, a former Canberra United player who now plays in the Scottish Women's Premier League, came to watch the match at Garema Place. "It's a really good start," she said.
"Canberra has so much potential ... any time there's a tournament the whole country gets behind it."
Some were disappointed with the results of the last-minute scramble to get the live site together.
The screens were relatively small and close to the ground, forcing fans to climb up trees and make makeshift stands from milk crates to get a better vantage point.
"The only thing I would say is that the screen needs to be raised two metres," Ms Jones said.
Socceroos fan Josh Grocott, who travelled from Torrens to watch the match in Civic, stood on a chair to watch the match.
"I'm a bit elevated, so I can see it a lot better than everyone else, but the screen could be bigger."
Socceroos fan Armani La Vella decided to get on social media and call for back up. His mission was simple: force the ACT government to reverse its decision on a World Cup live site.
"Canberra World Cup fans, I need your help," he said.
"Every football fan in Canberra wants to see another live event happen ... Social media is a powerful place, and this is how we're going to make it work."
It turns out La Vella was right about social media. His one-man crusade worked, and the public outrage that followed led to the government setting up a Garema Place watch party for a Socceroos blockbuster on Friday.
Initially, Canberra's only live site was at the University of Canberra Refectory, with plans to introduce a Civic live site if the Socceroos advance beyond the group stage of the tournament.
But after watching fans gather in their thousands in other cities, and with memories of the 2022 men's World Cup and the 2023 women's World Cup fresh in the mind, La Vella wanted more.
"As a Canberran, we're always seeing people from Sydney and Melbourne have all of these events on, bringing huge communities together," he said. "In the nation's capital, we just get skipped so often.
"[Social media] just started blowing up ... the next day, I posted another video, and from there it was all word of mouth.
His Instagram posts quickly went viral in Canberra, with his first video receiving more than 25,000 views.
He moved to get politicians and businesses on board, with some Civic businesses offering up deals for soccer fans on Friday at a time when they're struggling to get patrons into the city.
"The response from people within the government has been really solid, to be honest."
Following the Socceroo's loss to the US on Saturday, La Vella got a call from Sport Minister Yvette Berry. She told him that the Garema Place live site was coming back.
"The outdoor site will be live for Socceroos matches for the rest of the tournament, complementing the University of Canberra Refectory live site, which will remain open and available for fans who would prefer an indoor option," the government said in a statement.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said "we ask fans to make a day of it and support the cafes, bars, restaurants and retailers that line Garema Place and the surrounding precinct".
That sentiment has been echoed by Canberra Socceroo Jason Geria, who called on schools across the capital and the country to tune into the World Cup clash against Paraguay.
Geria is a Weston Creek and Woden Valley junior who now plies his trade in Japan after making more than 200 A-League appearances during stints with the Melbourne Victory and Perth Glory.
So if any school teachers or bosses in Canberra were thinking twice about flicking a Socceroos game on during the day, why not give people a chance to watch an ACT product on the sport's biggest stage?
"Let them watch ... If they can wheel some TVs into classrooms ... I think they all have iPads anyway, so just chuck it on the iPad," Geria said.
"We love the support that we've seen so far at the fan sites around Australia, and the clips of people in their living rooms or with their friends and family, the pubs, it's been amazing.
"You know, 12pm on a Friday, I mean, doesn't get much better than that. If they can let their let their employees or let their students watch, I think that'll be amazing."
When La Vella spoke to local business owners, they expressed their excitement about the live site.
"Seeing my videos and the fact that it's gotten so big, [they're] super excited... even if it's people on their lunch break, getting a coffee or a drink."
The live site will first open for the Australia v Paraguay match at 12pm on Friday, as well as for future World Cup matches if the Socceroos advance.
La Vella chalks it up to the power of social media. "It's crazy," he said. "You wouldn't think that an Instagram post can just influence a government's decision."
Canberra soccer fans have started approaching La Vella on the street, asking "Are you the guy from Instagram?" and reaching out for a handshake or a fist bump.
"Everyone's excited about it," he said. "People really just want to get around a good atmosphere."
