Fans storm barriers at packed Fed Square during semi-final

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Fans have stormed through barriers at Melbourne's Federation Square after the live site reached capacity for the Matildas' World Cup semi-final against England.

Organisers announced the site had hit its 10,000 capacity an hour before the match began, but some supporters were seen pushing past security guards about half an hour later in an attempt to watch the action.

Authorities had advised locked-out fans to head to nearby AAMI Park, which has a capacity of 30,000, where another live site had been set up for Australia's first-ever appearance in a World Cup semi-final.

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Police were seen rushing to help security teams as they attempted to stop people from breaking through the barriers.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the organisation wouldn't have any information to release until after the match.

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Elsewhere in Federation Square, public warnings of hefty, $7400 fines did little to dissuade some fans from letting off flares.

In Sydney, fans with tickets making a late dash to the semi-final were left in the lurch when urgent repairs to trains at Redfern Station caused some delays.

Transport for NSW said that while services were running frequently, trips to Olympic Park were taking about 15 minutes longer than expected.