ANZ Stadium, officially named Stadium Australia, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Sydney, Australia. It is used mostly for rugby league, rugby union, and Australian rules football matches, hosting the home games of several teams across these sports.
Opened on 6 March 1999 with a rugby league match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Newcastle Knights, it replaced the old Sydney Sports Ground. This stadium was notably the main venue for the 2000 Summer Olympics. The seating capacity of the new stadium was originally set at 110,000, making it the largest Olympic Stadium ever built, but it has since been reconfigured to hold 83,500 spectators. The stadium was designed by Populous (formerly HOK Sport Venue Event) and had a construction cost of AUD$690 million.
A category one stadium (the highest ranking possible) by the Asian Football Confederation, ANZ Stadium hosted several matches of the 2000 Summer Olympics, including the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics and football events. It was also the host venue for the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final, the 2015 AFC Asian Cup Final, and will be a potential venue for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, which Australia is bidding to host. By its twentieth birthday, ANZ Stadium had welcomed more than 28 million spectators. The stadium is one of the potential venues for the 2032 Summer Olympics, which Australia is also bidding to host.
While the previous Sydney Olympic stadium was also officially named 'Stadium Australia', both the old and the new stadia are invariably referred to by their unofficial name, ANZ Stadium. ANZ comes from the name of the major sponsor, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group. The stadium is located in Sydney Olympic Park, which was developed for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. This unofficial name caught on soon after the stadium's construction; the people of Sydney used to simply call it ANZ after the name of the sponsor. Therefore, the stadium's common name became 'ANZ Stadium'. This, however, could be argued to be inaccurate, since ANZ refers not to the location but to the original sponsor of the stadium: Australia and New Zealand Banking Group.
ANZ Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Sydney, Australia. It is situated in Sydney Olympic Park, and was completed in March 1999 to host the 2000 Summer Olympics. The Stadium was originally built to temporarily hold 110,000 spectators, making it the largest Olympic Stadium ever built and the second largest stadium in Australia after the Melbourne Cricket Ground which held more than 120,000 before its re-design in the early 21st century.
After the Olympics, the stadium was converted into a rectangular field used for multiple sports, including rugby league, rugby union and football. The stadium's seating capacity was reduced to 83,500 for a rectangular field. This move was viewed as a success and permanently protected the future of the venue. The playing surface was also reconfigured, with the athletics track removed, the oval-shaped field converted to a rectangular shape and the installation of movable seating sections at either end of the field. These measures made the stadium more suitable for its current uses, and it continues to be a major part of Sydney's sporting scene.
ANZ Stadium is now the home ground for the New South Wales Blues rugby league team, the Sydney Swans of the Australian Football League, and the Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League. It also hosts rugby union fixtures, including matches for the Wallabies, the Australian national team. The stadium is owned by the New South Wales Government, and managed by the Sydney Olympic Park Authority.
ANZ Stadium is located within Sydney Olympic Park, a sprawling sporting and entertainment complex in the western suburbs of Sydney. The area is easily accessible via multiple modes of transportation, including road, rail, and ferry, making it an ideal location for a stadium of this magnitude. Originally known as Stadium Australia, the venue was built to host the 2000 Summer Olympics.
From the onset, the stadium was intended to be a multi-purpose facility to accommodate a variety of sports and events. It was designed by the architecture firm Populous, formerly known as HOK Sport Venue Event, who are known for their work on numerous sports facilities around the world. The stadium was completed in March 1999 at a cost of AUD 690 million.
The construction of the stadium was majorly funded by the New South Wales Government. Several local businesses and individuals also contributed to the funding through various means, including donations and sponsorships. In fact, some local construction companies offered their services at discounted rates or even for free to support the building of the stadium.
Construction of the stadium began in September 1996 and was completed within three years. The inaugural event held at the stadium was a rugby league match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Melbourne Storm on 6 March 1999. Since then, ANZ Stadium has hosted numerous notable events, including the 2000 Summer Olympics, the Rugby World Cup, and multiple NRL Grand Finals, solidifying its place as one of Australia's premier sporting venues.
In 2007, Stadium Australia was renamed ANZ Stadium after ANZ bank bought the naming rights for a period of seven years. In 2014, the agreement was extended until 2017. The stadium has a seating capacity of over 80,000 for rectangular field games and can be expanded to accommodate over 110,000 spectators for oval field games and concerts. This makes it the second largest stadium in Australia, after the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
'ANZ Stadium (1999)': This reference provides comprehensive information about the ANZ Stadium, including its history and major events. https://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au
'ANZ Stadium – until 2003': This reference details the stadium's history until 2003, including its role in the 2000 Summer Olympics and subsequent uses. http://www.stadiumdb.com
'The Light Never Goes Out': This book, by Preface, Prime Books, provides an in-depth look at the ANZ Stadium and its significance in the sporting world. http://www.primebooks.net
'Sydney Olympics 2000 - A Glorious History 1': This book offers a comprehensive history of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, including detailed information about the ANZ Stadium. http://www.sydneyolympics2000.com
Becoming a leading global provider of digital solutions and services for the sports industry, enabling our clients to achieve their goals and reach their full potential.
We aspire to be a trusted partner and advisor to our clients, leveraging our expertise and passion for sports to help them succeed in a rapidly changing market.
