Socceroos fans primed for live sites

Sunday will be no day of rest as excited Australian football fans roll out of bed at the crack of dawn and flock to public live sites to cheer the Socceroos as they confront football powerhouse Argentina.

The match will be Australia's most important since their World Cup last-16 clash with Italy in 2006 and is expected to eclipse other major sporting events like the Olympics, with much of the nation expected to watch the spectacle.

The Socceroos shocked the football world by beating Denmark 1-0 early on Thursday to secure a spot in the knockout stage for the second time.

At 6am (AEDT) on Sunday Australia will have to face the might of Argentina and its megastar Lionel Messi in Qatar - but the unfancied Socceroos will have the passionate support of the nation.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gauged the exhilaration of the country and has promised a public holiday if Australia wins the World Cup.

Fans will once again fill Melbourne's Federation Square with noise and colour and other states are now scurrying to secure live viewing sites of their own after vision of celebrations went viral.

The governments of South Australia, Queensland and NSW, as well as the City of Perth, have promised to stage public live streams for the match.

Meanwhile, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews flagged a second venue could be set up alongside Federation Square.

Socceroos legend Craig Foster called on state premiers to celebrate the team's historic achievement in the quest for their first ever World Cup quarter final.

"Let's get Australia out this Sunday to share the journey with each other in all our multicultural beauty," he tweeted on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Football NSW director Morris Iemma said the Socceroos and their fans deserved more recognition from governments.

"Unfortunately when it comes to football (in Australia), it's often not thought about as the biggest sport in the world," he told ABC radio.

"But this is the biggest tournament in the world."

Thousands of fans gathered across Sydney in pubs to watch the 2am game on Thursday despite no public viewing site, with celebrations spilling onto George Street in the CBD.

Coach Graham Arnold's local, the Sackville Hotel in Sydney's inner west, rebranded itself to 'The Sacky-roos' for the do-or-die match.

"We're celebrating for him," Sackville manager Rob Squillacioti told AAP.

"We had a full pub when Australia scored. Everyone up celebrating, strangers hugging each other."

Tens of thousands could turn up to live sites across the country while millions more will tune in from their living rooms and pubs.

Australians will be able to stream the match on SBS for free this Sunday at 6am AEDT.