Stadium Australia, currently known as Accor Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the suburb of Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium, which is sometimes referred to as Sydney Olympic Stadium, Homebush Stadium or simply the Olympic Stadium, was completed in March 1999 at a cost of A$690 million[1] to host the 2000 Summer Olympics.[4][5] The Stadium was leased by a private company, the Stadium Australia Group, until the Stadium was sold back to the NSW Government on 1 June 2016 after NSW Premier Michael Baird announced the Stadium was to be redeveloped as a world-class rectangular stadium. The Stadium is owned by Venues NSW on behalf of the NSW Government.
The stadium was originally built to hold circa 115,000 spectators, making it the largest Olympic Stadium ever built[6] 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 2000s. In 2003, reconfiguration work was completed to shorten the north and south wings, and install movable seating. These changes reduced the capacity to 80,000, with the capacity to add seating depending on the venue configuration. Awnings were also added over the north and south stands, allowing most of the seating to be under cover. The stadium was engineered along sustainable lines, e.g., utilising less steel in the roof structure than the Olympic stadiums of Athens and Beijing.[7]
Naming rights
The stadium lacked a naming rights sponsor in its formative years, bearing the name Sydney Olympic Stadium between its opening in 1999, it is then knows as Stadium Australia in 2001. In 2002, telecommunications company Telstra acquired the naming rights, resulting in the stadium being known as Telstra Stadium. On 12 December 2007 it was announced by the Stadium Australia Group (SAG) that the stadium's name was to be changed to ANZ Stadium after concluding a deal with ANZ Bank worth around A$31.5 million over seven years.[8] This change took effect on 1 January 2008. In 2014, ANZ renewed the deal through to the end of 2017 and again until its closure for rebuilding in October 2019.[9]
In December 2020, ANZ's naming rights to the stadium expired and it reverted to being Stadium Australia.[10]
In November 2021, multinational hospitality company Accor acquired the rights, with the venue to be known as Accor Stadium.[11]
History
Early history
A rugby league match was the stadium's first event, and has since become the venue's predominant sport, hosting the annual NRL Grand Final since the 1999 edition (pictured).
The first musical act held at the newly built stadium was the Bee Gees, consisting of Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, on 27 March 1999. The band had embarked on what would be their final world tour as a group before the death of Maurice, the tour ending in the newly built Olympic Stadium. The show was sold out with an attendance of 66,285.[12]
The stadium was not officially opened until 12 June 1999 when the Australian National Soccer team played the FIFA All Stars. Australia won the match 3–2 in front of a crowd of 88,101. Stadium Australia also played host to the national side's historic playoff win over Uruguay in November 2005, a victory which granted Australia FIFA World Cup qualification for only the second time in the country's history. The event attracted a virtual capacity crowd of 82,698.
The 1999 Bledisloe Cup rugby union match between Australia and New Zealand attracted a then-world record rugby union crowd of 107,042. In 2000, this was bettered when a near-capacity crowd of 109,874 (capacity at the time was 110,000) witnessed the "greatest ever rugby match"[13] when a Jonah Lomu try sealed an All Blacks win over the Wallabies 39–35. The All Blacks had led 24-0 after 11 minutes only to see Australia draw level at 24–24 by halftime.
An exhibition soccer match between the Australia national team and English club Manchester United was played on 18 July 1999. Manchester United defeated Australia 1–0 in front of 78,000 spectators.
On 9 June 1999, the stadium hosted its first State of Origin series game between New South Wales and Queensland. The match, Game 2 of the three-game series, saw the record Origin attendance in Sydney when 88,336 saw the Blues christen their new home with a 12–8 win. The attendance broke the Origin attendance record of 87,161 set at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for Game 2 of the 1994 series.
The 1999 National Rugby Leaguegrand final, played on 26 September between the Melbourne Storm and the St George Illawarra Dragons, broke the rugby league world-record crowd previously set earlier in the season when 107,999 came to watch the Storm defeat the Dragons 20–18 to win their first NRL premiership.
16 November 2005 saw 82,698 attend the second leg of the Oceania-South America Qualification Playoff game for qualification to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Australia defeated Uruguay 1–0, which led to a penalty shootout as Uruguay had won the first leg of the playoff 1–0. Australia won the shootout 4–2 and secured a spot in the World Cup for the first time since 1974. The penalty spot where John Aloisi's spot kick secured victory has been permanently preserved and is on public display at the stadium.[15]
On 1 October 2006, the stadium hosted the 2006 NRL Grand Final between the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm. It was the first time since the competition began in 1908 that two teams from outside of Sydney had contested the grand final. 79,609 fans saw the Broncos defeat the Storm 15–8. As of the 2018 NRL Grand Final, this is one of three times that no Sydney based team has contested the premiership decider and also the only time an NRL grand final at the Olympic Stadium has failed to attract at least 80,000 fans.
On 5 October 2008, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles defeated the Melbourne Storm 40–0 in the 2008 NRL Grand Final in front of 80,388 fans. This is the record winning margin for a grand final, breaking the previous record of 38-0 when Eastern Suburbs defeated St George in the 1975 Grand Final played at the Sydney Cricket Ground. 2008 was the centenary year of the competition. It was also the first time a team had been held scoreless in a grand final since Manly had defeated Cronulla-Sutherland 16–0 in the 1978 Grand Final Replay at the SCG (the original Grand Final that year had been drawn 11-11).
An aerial view of the stadium
In February 2009, the stadium replaced its existing two television screens with new Panasonic HD LED video screens that measure 23x10m – 70% larger than the original screens, and 50% larger than the screens in the Beijing National Stadium, whilst consuming less power than the old screens. Additionally, an LED perimeter screen showcasing ANZ advertising has been installed on the second level from the 30m line to the 30m line.[16]
25 September 2009 saw the largest ever NRL finals attendance (non-grand final) in competition history when 74,549 fans saw the Parramatta Eels defeat the Bulldogs RLFC 22–12 in the preliminary final of the 2009 NRL season. This beat the previous finals record of 57,973 set at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the preliminary final of the 1963 NSWRFL season which St George defeat Parramatta 12–7.
30 September 2012 saw the largest ever NRL Grand Final crowd since reconfiguration up until 2014 when 82,976 attended the 2012 NRL Grand Final to see the Melbourne Storm defeat the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 14–4. This number was nearly reached in the 2009 NRL Grand Final between the Storm and the Parramatta Eels, with 82,538 in attendance. On 13 and 14 December 2010, a U2 concert, one of the biggest in history, was held at the ANZ Stadium.
The record set by the Wallabies test was broken just 10 days later on 17 July when 83,813 (only 187 short of capacity) attended Game 3 of the 2013 State of Origin series. Queensland defeated NSW 12–10 to win their 8th straight Origin series. With 80,380 attending Game 1 at the stadium, the attendances also broke the Origin attendance records for the first and third game of a series. With the second game of the series attracting 51,690 to Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, 2013 also broke the Origin series attendance record with 215,883 attending the three games.
On 6 September 2013, the largest ever NRL minor round attendance for a single game at the stadium was set when 59,708 saw eventual 2013 Premiers the Sydney Roosters defeat South Sydney 24–12 in the final round of the 2013 NRL season. This was also the largest single game minor round crowd in the history of the premiership dating back to 1908, breaking the previous record set at the ANZ Stadium in Brisbane (now known as the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre) on 27 August 1993 when St George defeated Brisbane 16–10 in Round 22 of the 1993 NSWRL season in front of 58,593 fans.
On 18 June 2014, 83,421 fans saw NSW defeat Qld 6–4 in Game 2 of the 2014 State of Origin series. After having won Game 1 at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, the home side's win saw Queensland's eight year domination of Origin come to an end as New South Wales won their first series since 2005.
On 5 October 2014, a new post-reconfiguration attendance record of 83,833 saw South Sydney defeat Canterbury-Bankstown 30–6 in the 2014 NRL Grand Final. It was the Rabbitohs first grand final appearance and premiership win since 1971.
On 27 December 2014, a new domestic cricket record crowd for NSW was set with 32,823 attending the Sydney Derby between the Sydney Thunder and the Sydney Sixers. The crowd was the highest domestic cricket crowd in NSW history, only to be knocked off a few weeks later at the Sydney Cricket Ground involving the same two teams.
History was repeated on 4 October 2015 when for only the second time in the NRL's history, no NSW team was in the grand final and for the first time ever, it was a Queensland derby in the final between Brisbane and North Queensland. 82,758 people, many of whom had travelled down from various parts of Queensland, witnessed one of the all-time great grand finals when the game went into golden point time courtesy of a Kyle Feldt try in the dying moments to level the scores at 16 all. But the game would be remembered for Ben Hunt's dropped ball from the kick-off to extra time which led to Johnathan Thurston's field goal that gave North Queensland their first premiership in the NRL since being admitted into the competition in 1995. Apart from games involving national teams, the crowd is the largest ever in NSW not to involve a team based in the state.
On 30 September 2018, the Grand Final between the Sydney Roosters and the Melbourne Storm featured one of the most courageous performances in Australian sporting history when Cooper Cronk, despite carrying a severe shoulder injury from the week before, played for nearly the entire match, inspiring his Roosters to a famous 21–6 victory over his former club and at the same time denying the Storm back to back premierships.
On 6 October 2019, another notable NRLGrand Final was held with 82,922 people witnessing the Sydney Roosters become the first back to back premiers in the NRL since the Brisbane Broncos of 1992 and 1993, defeating the Canberra Raiders who were in their first Grand Final since 1994 in controversial circumstances. During the 2nd half with 10 minutes to go with scores locked at 8 all, referee Ben Cummins initially gave Canberra a new set of six tackles after he thought a Roosters player touched the ball, but then retracted the call as Canberra's Jack Wighton was tackled with the ball and ordered a handover to the Roosters with James Tedesco scoring the winning try for the Roosters shortly after the handover to win 14–8.[18][19]
Development
Following the Olympics, the north and south wing stands were replaced with roofs. The ability to retract the stands to accommodate Australian rules football and cricket matches was also added.
In October 2001, major reconfiguration work on the stadium was commenced to allow for sports that require an oval field, such as cricket and Australian rules football, to be played at the ground. The two wing stands and the athletics track were removed; they were replaced with a movable seating section. New roofs were built over the two ends and seats that had a poor view of the field were removed. The reconfiguration reduced the capacity to 84,000 for the rectangular field and 82,500 for the oval field at a total cost of $80 million. The construction work was carried out by Multiplex.[20]
The reconfiguration work was completed in October 2003 in time for the 2003 Rugby World Cup where the then Telstra Stadium hosted the opening game, two other groups games, both semi-finals, the third-place play-off and final matches of the competition. In the first semi-final on 15 November 2003, Australia beat New Zealand 22–10 and then in the second semi-final the following day England beat France 24–7. In the final, on 22 November, England beat Australia 20–17 in extra time.
In 2022, a new scoreboard was installed at the southern end of the stadium, measuring 120 metres wide.[21] Also in 2022, the stadium lighting was replaced with new LED sports lights and were first used in Game One of the 2022 State of Origin series.[22]
In 2023, upgrades of the match day change rooms and media facilities were completed at a cost of $81.4 million ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and were first used for a NRL game between South Sydney and Manly Warringah on 25 March 2023.[23]
Proposed renovations
In September 2015, the New South Wales Government announced it intended to upgrade the stadium within the next decade, and install a retractable roof over the stadium.[24][25]
On 23 November 2017, the New South Wales Government revealed that Stadium Australia would be knocked down and completely re-built, with a new 75,000 seat rectangular stadium built in its place. The announcement was made in conjunction with the unveiling of rebuilding plans for the Sydney Football Stadium in Moore Park. The original plan for Stadium Australia was for the demolition to start in 2019 and the new stadium to be completed by 2021.
On 29 March 2018 NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian backflipped on the rebuilding plan, and revealed the government would instead refurbish Stadium Australia and reconfigure the pitch dimensions to a permanently rectangular shape. This would come at a cost of $800 million, compared to the knock-down and rebuild cost of $1.3 billion.[26]
On 31 May 2020, the renovation plans were cancelled by the government, who pointed to a shift in budget priorities as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[27] The decision meant the stadium remained capable of hosting oval-shaped sports such as cricket and Australian rules football, and retain its capacity to 83,500.
Uses
Various sporting codes have used this ground on a regular basis. The National Rugby League is the most regular tenant of the ground, while rugby union internationals, soccer internationals and Australian rules football are all played at the ground. ANZ Stadium hosts the following:
The Parramatta Eels played two home games a year at Stadium Australia between 2008 and 2016. Parramatta then called the stadium their temporary home from 2017 until April 2019 while their regular home ground Parramatta Stadium was demolished; with the Western Sydney Stadium built in its place.
The Wests Tigers now share the Western Sydney Stadium with Parramatta, using it as one of their three home grounds, having previously used the stadium between 2005–2008 and 2014–2018. Since 2021, Accor Stadium has been their home ground for Easter Monday home games against Parramatta.
The St George Illawarra Dragons called Stadium Australia their Sydney home in 2008 while their home ground, Kogarah Oval was redeveloped, and again for 2 games a year between 2014 and 2017.
In October and November 2003, the stadium hosted seven matches in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Among them were the opener on 10 October, which Australia won 24–8 against Argentina, both semifinals and the final on 22 November, which England won against Australia 20-17 following Jonny Wilkinson's 100th-minute drop goal to win their first Rugby World Cup.
On 6 July 2013, the last test of the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour was played in the ANZ Stadium, with the Lions winning 41–16 to win the series.
The Stadium has been approved as a ground for international cricket and has hosted Twenty20 Internationals.
The Stadium was home to the Sydney Thunder franchise of the Big Bash League from 2011 to 2014. In June 2015, the Thunder announced they would leave ANZ Stadium and play all home games at Sydney Showground Stadium until the 2024-25 BBL season.[31]
As the largest capacity stadium in Australia that can be configured for rectangular field sports, high-profile Australia national soccer team (Socceroos) fixtures are often staged at the stadium. The stadium hosted Australia's 2005 shootout victory over Uruguay in the OFC-CONMEBOL intercontinental play-off, which qualified the Socceroos for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, their first appearance since 1974. Australia's extra time victory over South Korea in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup Final, which marked the Socceroos' first Asian Cup victory, also came at the stadium. Stadium Australia was also the venue for Australia's 3–1 victory against Honduras in the 2018 FIFA World CupCONCACAF-AFC intercontinental play-off.
Stadium Australia held the second leg of the 2006 FIFA World Cup OFC-CONMEBOL intercontinental play-off, with John Aloisi scoring the decisive penalty to secure a 4–2 shootout victory.
The venue hosted the 2000 Olympics football gold medal match, with Cameroon defeating Spain 5–3 on penalties. The match attracted a crowd of 104,098, which remains the all-time largest attendance for an association football game in Australia.
Sydney FC have played a number of one-off exhibition matches at the stadium. Sydney FC defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy of MLS 5–3 in front of a crowd of 80,295 in 2007. The game was notable for including Galaxy legend and US international Landon Donovan and former England captain David Beckham, who had joined the Galaxy in 2007 and scored from a direct free kick during the game.
The local A-League teams, Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers, have also hosted a number of English Premier League teams. Chelsea defeated Sydney FC 1–0 in front of a crowd of 83,598 on 2 June 2015, the largest crowd for a soccer game at the stadium since the post-Olympics reconfiguration in 2002. Everton defeated Sydney FC 1–0 in front of a crowd of 40,466 in 2010. Tottenham Hotspur defeated Sydney FC 1–0 in front of a crowd of over 71,500 on 30 May 2015. The stadium hosted two exhibition matches in 2017: Liverpool defeated Sydney FC 3–0 in front of a crowd of 72,892 on 24 May 2017, while on 13 July 2017, Arsenal defeated Sydney FC 2–0 in front of a crowd of 80,432. Arsenal would play Western Sydney Wanderers in the stadium two days later, with the English side winning 3–1 in front of a crowd of 83,221.
The Sydney Swans played up to three "blockbuster" games at the venue each season between 2002 and 2015, with their remaining eight home games played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). As of 2016, the Swans no longer play at Stadium Australia, with all of their home games moving back to the Sydney Cricket Ground on a full-time basis.[40][41]
The Greater Western Sydney Giants has Accor Stadium as an option for home games when the Sydney Showground Stadium, their primary home ground, is unavailable. In 2022, Australian rules football returned to the ground for a round one match between the Giants and Sydney Swans.[42] This was the first Australian rules football match to be played at the venue since September 2016, and the first sporting event to be played with a new 120 metre-long scoreboard installed at the stadium's southern end.[21]
The Swans shifted all home games in 2016 to the SCG, including its three scheduled games at ANZ Stadium.[43] However, the stadium did host a qualifying final derby between the Sydney Swans and Greater Western Sydney Giants on 10 September 2016. A crowd of 60,222 attended the match, the highest attendance for an Australian rules football match in New South Wales since 2007.[44]
Motorsports
On 26 October 2002, Stadium Australia played host to Motorcycle speedway with the Speedway Grand Prix of Australia, the 10th and final round of the 2002 Speedway Grand PrixWorld Championship series. A temporary 400 metres (440 yards) long track was used with American rider Greg Hancock winning the GP from England's Scott Nicholls and Australia's own future triple World Champion Jason Crump whose third place was enough to lift him to third in the championship standings above fellow Aussie Ryan Sullivan. Also representing Australia at the meeting were Leigh Adams who finished 4th in the World Championship, and meeting wildcard riders Jason Lyons and Mick Poole. The event attracted approximately 31,500 fans.
Stadium Australia played host to the first-ever Monster Jam Australia event in 2013, and remains the only venue to feature on all four Australian tours as of 2016. The 2025Race of Champions is due to be held at the venue in March 2025. This will be the first time the event has been hosted in the Southern Hemisphere.[45]
American football
When it was known as Stadium Australia, the venue hosted the American Bowl on 7 August 1999 between the Denver Broncos and the San Diego Chargers. This was the first professional American football game to be held in the Southern Hemisphere.[46]
Two Adele Live 2017 concerts took place at Stadium Australia in March 2017. The second concert on 11 March (pictured) set the venue's post-reconfiguration attendance record of 98,364.
The Bee Gees, consisting of Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, played the first concert at the stadium on 27 March 1999. The show was sold out with an attendance of 66,285.
Australian rock band AC/DC played 3 shows in February 2010 (18th, 20th & 22nd) as part of their Black Ice World Tour, supported by Wolfmother. Respectively the shows had an attendance of 70,282, 75,867 and 66,896.[48]
Irish rock band U2 performed at the stadium on 10, 11 and 13 November 2006 to a combined attendance of 206,568 people, as part of their Vertigo Tour. They returned 13 and 14 December 2010 to a combined attendance of 107,155 people, as part of their U2 360° Tour.
US rock band Bon Jovi performed at the stadium on 14 December 2013 as part of their Because We Can Tour. The show was sold out with a crowd of 60,510 and it was the biggest concert at the stadium since U2 in 2010. Kid Rock was the opening act.
Rapper Eminem performed at the stadium on 22 February 2014 as part of his Rapture Tour. The show was sold out with an attendance of 53,649 people.[49] He returned to the stadium on 22 February 2019, exactly 5 years later.[50]
American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift performed at the stadium on 28 November 2015 as part of the 1989 World Tour, playing to a sold-out crowd of 75,980 people.[51] She also filmed the tour’s accompanying film during that show. Swift returned to the stadium on 2 November 2018 as part of her Reputation Stadium Tour, then on 23–26 February 2024 as part of her Eras Tour, which made her the first solo musician to perform four consecutive shows at the stadium.[52][53]
American rock band Guns N' Roses performed at the stadium on 10 and 11 February 2017 to a combined attendance of 84,277 people, as part of their Not in This Lifetime... Tour. The band returned to perform on 27 November 2022, as part of their 2020 Tour.
English singer-songwriter Adele performed at the stadium on 10 and 11 March 2017, as part of Adele Live 2017. The singer played to a total of 200,000 people, making her two concerts the highest attended concerts in the history of the stadium.[54][55] This is the largest audience the venue has seen since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, breaking Taylor Swift's 2015 record of 75,980 audience members.[55]
Canadian singer Justin Bieber performed at the stadium on 15 March 2017 to an attendance of 65,836 people, as part of his Purpose World Tour.
Foo Fighters performed at the stadium on 27 January 2018, to 71,314 people, as a part of their Concrete and Gold Tour. The band was scheduled to return on 12 December 2022, but the concert was cancelled in March of that year in light of drummer Taylor Hawkins' death. They returned to perform on 9 December 2023.
English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran performed at the stadium on 15, 16 and 17 March 2018, to an attendance of 243,513 over the three nights, as part of his ÷ Tour.[56] He returned to perform on 24 and 25 February 2023, as part of his +–=÷x (Mathematics) Tour.
American pop-star Michael Jackson planned to play here «Millennium Concert» on 31 December 1999. Later these plans were suspended and concert was cancelled.
English singer-songwriter Harry Styles performed at the stadium on 3 and 4 March 2023, supported by Wet Leg, as part of his final performance for Love On Tour in Australia.
American rock band Kiss performed at the stadium on 7 October 2023, supported by Weezer and Regurgitator, as part of their End of the Road World Tour. It was the band's final Australian performance.
Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd was supposed to play there on 24, 25 and 27 November 2023, as part of his After Hours til Dawn Tour, but instead performed on the 22nd and 23rd of October 2024. He was supported by Anna Lunoe, Mike Dean and Chxrry22.
American singer-songwriter Pink performed at the stadium on 16 March 2024, supported by Tones and I, as part of the Oceania leg of her Summer Carnival tour.
British rock band Coldplay performed at the stadium on 6, 7, 9 and 10 November 2024 as part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour. They were the first group to perform at the Accor Stadium four times on a single tour, breaking the record for most attended event of all time at the venue with 338,776 people.[57]
American country singer-songwriter Luke Combs will perform at the stadium on 31 January and 1 February 2025, supported by Jordan Davis, Mitchell Tenpenny and Lane Pittman.
Taiwanese rock band Mayday will perform at the stadium on 22 February 2025, as part of their #5525 Live Tour.
British rock band Oasis will perform at the stadium on 7 and 8 November 2025, as part of their Live '25 Tour.
^Ackland, Richard (21 June 1999). "Media Watch - Stories in 1999" [21/6/99]. Media Watch. ABC TV. Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. 21/6/99. Retrieved 8 October 2023. Purpose built for the 2000 Games at a cost of $690 million, Stadium Australia was built for the occasion. (ABC News, 13/6/99)
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