Socceroos fans, chomping on delicious-looking hotdogs in Sydney's main World Cup big screen venue, are hoping and praying that as Monday dawns, they will be savouring a World Cup victory over Germany.

Revenge, as fans know, is a dish best served cold.

Australia fans at Darling Harbour on Sunday night were longing to see put firmly on ice Germany coach Joachim Low's claim that the Socceroos are dull.

After weeks of hype and sniping, the moment was here: Germany versus Australia at World Cup 2010 was game on.

As German ex-pats gathered in Sydney's bars and clubs on Sunday night, there was only one place for Socceroos fans to be: the city's Fifa Fan Fest in Darling Harbour.

Crowds there have been reasonable since the tournament began on Friday night.

But the waterside exploded into life on Sunday evening as hundreds of fans, many decked out in the national team's green and gold, gathered to cheer on star Harry Kewell and the gang.

Thousands were expected by the 4.30am Monday (AEST) kick-off.

They came in rugged up scarves and replica shirts, and armed with the obligatory blow-up kangaroos and sombreros, determined to party their way through the night.

God bless the Queen for having her birthday the next day, granting most Aussies a day off work.

"We're underdogs but that's okay. I think that's when we're at our best," Socceroos fan Carl Chatfield told AAP.

The sentiment was echoed by dozens of others, all hoping Pim Verbeek's men can equal or better Australia's showing at World Cup 2006.

Down at the Lowenbrau Keller, in the city's The Rocks, Germanic confidence was sloshing around like an overflowing Franziskaner Weissbier. And the atmosphere at the ticket-only screening was popping like a sizzling bratwurst.

"I can't see anything other than Germany winning. It's a shame it's against Australia because I love this place. But it's the World Cup so there can be no sentiment," Thomas Freyer told AAP.

Expectations of a German win were just as high at the Concordia Club, in Tempe. The club offered gluhwein and gemütlichkeit ("coziness, cheerfulness") as standard for all those supporting Die Mannschaft ("The Team").

But some German fans did whisper that they thought Australia could be a potential banana skin.

"I don't want to say this too loudly, but I think they could cause us some problems," Andrea Bauer told AAP.

"The word for it in German is besorgt (worried)."

When the sun rises over Sydney on Monday, as the final whistle blows at about 6.30am (AEST), there will be just one German word the Aussies will be hoping is relevant: Schadenfreude.

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