‘Celebrate, don’t trash’: DBKL slams World Cup final fans over Dataran Merdeka litter
Kuala Lumpur City Hall has criticized football fans for leaving significant amounts of litter at Dataran Merdeka following a public viewing of the World Cup 2026 final. The council emphasized that public celebrations should not come at the expense of cleanliness and civic responsibility.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the tension between public event management and civic duty in major urban centers.
KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has reminded the public to take responsibility for keeping shared spaces clean after Dataran Merdeka was left strewn with rubbish following a World Cup 2026 final viewing event.
In a Facebook post today, DBKL said it was saddened by the condition of the historic site after thousands of football fans gathered there early Monday morning to watch the final between Spain and Argentina.
“Early this morning, thousands gathered to cheer, celebrate football and share the excitement. However, when the cheers ended, this historic field was left covered with rubbish,” it said.
DBKL said its cleaning crews would be deployed to clear the waste left behind, but stressed that maintaining Kuala Lumpur’s cleanliness should not always depend on others cleaning up after public events.
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