As millions of fans across Sydney prepare for the Matildas World Cup opener, celebrity chef Josh Niland’s unique cheeseburger has ensured the massive fan site will be a next level experience. 

The huge public viewing site in Sydney‘s Darling Harbour was certainly well attended while the Socceroos made an unlikely run through the men’s World Cup last year – but that experience will be dwarfed as Fifa puts on the mother of all fan festivals throughout the World Cup.

As well as the millions of Sydneysiders, more than 16,000 international tourists are expected to descend on the host city throughout the tournament.

But not everyone can get to the stadium to watch the Matildas, or any of the other world-class sides – and on the back of the stunning turn-out for the Socceroos’ games as the whole nation hyped itself up, supporters will be treated to far more than just Football games. 

And Niland, Sydney’s popular ‘Fish Butcher’, who has featured regularly on Masterchef, is right in the thick of it. 

It may look like any ordinary gourmet cheeseburger, but that is far from the case.

Niland’s signature Sydney Tuna Cheeseburger is made of – you guessed it – seared Yellowfin tuna fillets, cheddar cheese, pickles and Indigenous ingredients like sea parsley and pepperberry. It’s no McDonald’s cheeseburger, that’s for sure. 

Essentially, he’s created something he thinks represents Sydney for football fans to lap up while they watch the World Cup. 

‘The inspiration was from beef butchery. If you were butchering a cow, you wouldn’t throw half of it in the bin. 

Every cut of the tuna, like a cow, has a delicious opportunity that should be utilised thoughtfully, and what better way than a cheeseburger?’ Niland told Daily Mail Australia. 

‘Incorporating native ingredients […] was motivated by how complex and savoury these ingredients are, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup was a great opportunity to introduce guests from abroad to these unique flavours in a convenient way.’ 

If the tuna cheeseburger isn’t your go, or the littlies aren’t fans, there’s an Aussie barbeque prepared by top Indigenous native food chef, Sharon Winsor; as well as a McDonalds in a giant packet of french fries, dumplings, pizza and gozleme. 

A range of Aussie wines and beers will also be served from the two festival bars, as will mulled wine. 

Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour truly has transformed into the hottest ticket in town, with a capacity for 5000 fans, and will be open all throughout the tournament night and day. 

There’s a football pitch with multiple sized goals for cross bar challenges, penalty shootouts, freestyle and skill clinics. There’s even speedometer goals that record how fast you can kick the ball to accuracy tests, football golf and football snooker.

FIFA have, for the first time, even installed a museum on-site that is full of Women’s World Cup history.

There’s Sam Kerr’s signed armband from the 2019 World Cup when she became Australia’s all-time leading goalscorer of either gender. There’s random little artefacts like Soccer Barbie and a signed copy of Mia Hamm Soccer for the Nintendo 64. 

When Canadian legend Christine Sinclair became the leading goalscorer in the history of women’s football, she drank prosecco and wore a red cape. That’s in the musuem too, alongside a host of other incredible artefacts and moments in the history of women’s football.

Unbelievably, there’s even performances from superstar Aussie acts like Jessica Mauboy, Jack River and Mia Ray, to name a few. 

Oh, and there’s also a home World Cup to cheer on the big screen alongside thousands of other passionate fans. 

Gerdine Lindhout, FIFA’s Head of Marketing Operations and Events, told Daily Mail Australia at the unveiling of the museum that while football is the heart of the tournament, festivals like Sydney’s are the soul.

‘We try to look at opportunities of how we can build out the football experience around those 90 minutes,’ the experienced Dutchwoman said.

‘We start with, for example, the trophy tour. We have the music program with the sound identity. And then the biggest platform of all is the FIFA fan festival. We have never done it for a women’s World Cup.

‘It’s the experience. People want to feel that atmosphere, and not everybody can get into the stadium and see all the matches. And the FIFA fan festival is the soul of the tournament, while stadiums are the heart. 

‘Access is free. People can see the matches. You can walk in and out, but you can spend a whole day here with all the different activities and that is what we want. 

‘The atmosphere is so unique, you get it nowhere else. The biggest women’s sports event in the world – and it’s happening here.

‘The FIFA Women’s World Cup coming to your country is amazing, the world will come here. 

‘The fight that you will feel on the streets, the crazy, the crazy fans from other countries, it’s magic.’

For those visitors hoping to enjoy the best dining Sydney has to offer, Niland, who runs his famous Fish Butchery in Sydney as well as Charcoal Fish, Saint Peter and Peterman has a few suggestions.

For those busy fans, who are stuck in the house watching the World Cup, Niland has some pretty easy go-to snacks when he is kicking back and cheering the side on. 

Unsurprisingly for the king of seafood, they have a pretty clear theme.

‘Keep it simple. The best snacks are the boujee kind: a few tins of the best quality seafood (anchovies, octopus, mussels) alongside some fresh bread & butter, and I’m a happy man,’ said Josh of his favourite sport snacks.

It’s a huge opportunity for Sydney.

This is by far the biggest sporting event in Australia since the 2000 Olympic Games in the harbourside city.

So it’s a chance for the hospitality industry – which is often considered Melbourne’s more boring cousin – to flex its muscles and showcase the best of NSW for the entire world.

‘It’s wonderful to see an event of this size and importance coming to Sydney. 

‘Yes, business has been up and down in recent years, but what hasn’t been is Sydney’s sense of hospitality and its eagerness to show the world how extraordinary the harbour city is,’ said Niland.

The Fan Festival will officially open at 4pm on Thursday, July 20 ahead of the first games for the Matildas and New Zealand, and will be open every day of the tournament and free for all.