THE historic Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur was left littered with rubbish following the live broadcast of the 2026 Fifa World Cup final early Monday (July 20) morning.
Expressing disappointment, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said the field will be cleaned up.
"Early this morning, thousands gathered to cheer, celebrate football and share in the excitement.
"But when the celebrations ended, this historic square was left littered with rubbish.
"Our workers will collect what has been left behind, but the cleanliness of Kuala Lumpur should not always depend on someone else cleaning up after we have gone home," it said in a statement on Facebook.
It was reported that some 25,000 fans gathered at the field to watch the live broadcast, part of the World Cup X Uniti Merdeka 2026 Fiesta.
DBKL said Dataran Merdeka was a symbol of the nation's pride and history, adding that the way people left it reflected how much they valued it.
It added that people could celebrate with enthusiasm and cheer as loudly as they liked, but stressed that the freedom to celebrate did not mean freedom to litter or dirty a shared public space.
"A great city is not judged only by how many people come together, but by the condition they leave behind when they go home.
"Kuala Lumpur is our home. Let us care for it as we would our own."
