World Cup Final watch party confirmed for Limerick
Big screen to remain after All-Ireland senior hurling final
THE BIGGEST game in soccer is to be beamed onto a big screen in Limerick this Sunday night, as the city hosts a watch party for the Fifa World Cup Final.
Limerick is expected to be the only city in Ireland to host such an event for the showpiece fixture between Spain and Argentina.
A big screen set up in Pery Square to show the All-Ireland Final between Limerick and Galway will stay in place, meaning pictures will first be beamed from Croke Park, before crossing the Atlantic and coverage from the MetLife stadium in New York/New Jersey.
Mayor John Moran has promised “a memorable day of sport in Limerick”.
He has agreed to dig into his own fund to allow the big screen to remain after the All-Ireland Final this Sunday.
Limerick v Galway throws in at the traditional All-Ireland final time of 3:30pm, while Spain v Argentina kicks off at 8pm.
Initially, there were only plans to have the screen in Pery Square show coverage from Croker.
But the soccer-mad mayor has intervened to ensure there will another few hours of sporting drama to watch in the heart of Limerick.
The original hurling event is being supported through the council’s general budget, while money for the Fifa World Cup final screening will come from the mayor’s devolved funds.
Like the All-Ireland Final screening, the event for the Fifa World Cup Final will be ticketed with people needing to register for free access.
However, registration will be separate from the earlier All-Ireland Final watch party. Visit here to register for the World Cup Final.
“To the best of our knowledge, Limerick will be the only location in Ireland hosting a, public outdoor big-screen screening of the World Cup Final, making Pery Square a unique place to enjoy this major sporting occasion together,” the mayor added.
He said he wanted to thank the gardai, the HSE, the emergency services, council staff and council members for making this possible.
“I also want to thank the residents and businesses around Pery Square. They will undoubtedly experience some inconvenience, and I greatly appreciate their willingness to share one of Limerick’s great public squares for this special occasion,” he said.
“As someone who attended the World Cups in 1990 and 1994, and who has watched many major matches on big screens around the world, I understand how important it is to experience these occasions together when you cannot be at the match itself. That will be particularly meaningful for supporters of Spain and Argentina living in Limerick and the wider region, and for anyone whose interest in soccer happens to be greater than their interest in hurling this week, if we can find them,” he laughed.
Spain qualified for the World Cup Final with an impressive 2-0 win over France, while Argentina scraped past England with an injury time winner.