Women’s World Cup 2023: the complete guide to all the stadiums | OneFootball

Stadium Australia, Sydney/Gadigal

Capacity: 81,500

Opened: June 1999

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As the largest stadium in the 2023 Women’s World Cup lineup, Stadium Australia (Accor Stadium) was originally going to host three knockout games and the final. But the Matildas’ opener against Ireland was moved to the venue when ticket demand suggested Sydney Football Stadium was going to quickly sell out. The stadium is in Sydney’s Olympic Park and was built to host the 2000 Games’ ceremonies, athletics and some football. The stadium had its largest crowd on day 11 of those Olympics when 112,524 people watched from the stands as Australia’s Cathy Freeman won the gold medal in the 400 metres.

After the Olympics the stadium was reconfigured to accommodate an oval field for AFL and cricket, and its capacity was reduced. Before the Women’s World Cup the ground held the record for the highest attendance for a home Matildas match – 36,109 saw them play the US in 2021. But when the Matildas take to the pitch on 20 July that record is expected to be broken.

Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney/Gadigal

Capacity: 38,841

Opened: August 2022

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Just outside Sydney’s city centre is the manicured sporting precinct of Moore Park – home to the new Sydney Football Stadium. Also known as Allianz Stadium, the football and rugby venue is neighbour to the Sydney Cricket Ground as well as additional fields and facilities for netball, basketball and athletics. The $828m (£435m) stadium opened in August 2022 after the state government controversially decided to demolish and replace the original stadium of the same name which was built in 1988.

The new Sydney Football Stadium features steep seating to get you closer to the action and a sweeping architectural roof covering all seats – which can be lit up in custom colours. While the original stadium was the site for the 2000 Sydney Olympics women’s football gold medal match between Norway and the USA, in this tournament it will host five group matches and just one round of 16 game. And if you’ve ever wondered what a cheeseburger spring roll tastes like, this venue delivers – upon redevelopment the catering contract was won by the Merivale group, which is charged with keeping fans fed and watered.

Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne/Naarm

Capacity 24,870

Opened 2010

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The Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, known as Aami Park, is the newest structure in the city’s sporting hub next to the Yarra River. The MCG may be the jewel in the crown in Australia’s “sporting capital” but the rectangular stadium stands out thanks to its geometric cloud-shaped roof and exterior – which can be lit up in team colours. Across the road is the home of the Australian Open tennis tournament, Melbourne Park and Rod Laver Arena, all connected with walkways and footbridges.

The addition of the rectangular stadium provided the city with a dedicated football and rugby ground where spectators could enjoy better views and a more intimate atmosphere compared with the oval grounds. It is home to Melbourne Victory, Melbourne City and Western United’s men’s and women’s A-League teams. As it is the only viable World Cup venue in the city, due to the MCG and Marvel Stadium being locked up by the AFL, Melbourne will only host six matches despite being one of the most football-loving states.

Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane/Meaanjin

Capacity 46,851

Opened 1914 (redeveloped in 2003)

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Brisbane Stadium, on a bend in the river just outside the city centre, has been Queensland’s home of rugby league since the 1950s. The intimate rectangular stadium will no doubt echo the raucous energy of Brisbane Broncos and State of Origin games when it hosts its first Women’s World Cup match between England’s Lionesses and Haiti on 22 July. Among the older stadiums being used in the tournament, Brisbane Stadium’s storied history has reflected the growth of the city since the early 20th century. The site was Brisbane’s main cemetery until it was set aside for recreation in 1914 and became Lang Park – a name it still carries unofficially today, though commercially it is Suncorp Stadium. After being used as a parade ground during the first world war it started regularly hosting sport: football, athletics and cycling. Rugby league came in the mid-1950s and oversaw the transformation from a public park to the specialised rectangular facility used today.

The stadium has been significantly affected by flooding in the past, first in 1974, then in Brisbane’s devastating 2010-11 floods and again in 2022. Women’s football royalty will grace the pitch this tournament over four other group games, one round of 16 game, a quarter-final and the third-place playoff.

Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth/Boorloo

Capacity: 13,932

Opened: 1910

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With the old Waca Ground and the state-of-the-art Optus Stadium in the city, Perth is not short of a famous sporting venue or two. But it is the less well-known rectangular stadium, HBF Park, that will take the spotlight during the World Cup.

Located Close to the central business district and just a stone’s throw away from the AFL and cricket ovals, HBF has a long and rich history. When it was constructed at the beginning of last century it served as an Australian rules football oval until redevelopment in 2004, and the ground is now home to Perth Glory’s A-League teams (as well as Super Rugby’s Western Force). International football has been played here before, though just three times, and only once in the women’s game – in 2018 when the Matildas thrashed Thailand 5-0. While the likes of Pernille Harder and Christine Sinclair will grace the turf in the coming weeks, it was actually Harry Styles who was the last star to play here, performing a concert in February. But before Denmark and China become the next international acts to feature, the venue will undergo a major $32m (£16m) upgrade of facilities, and further temporary fit-outs will be made to make it match ready.

Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide/Tarntanya

Capacity: 13,327

Opened: 1960

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Hindmarsh, better known as Coopers Stadium due to a naming rights sponsorship deal with the South Australian brewer, is the smallest of all the venues. Still, what it lacks in terms of seat numbers Coopers makes up with punch. Though it is also a live music venue it doesn’t need a touring band to create a buzzing atmosphere, and on a good night the boutique stadium can rock – as main tenants Adelaide United can attest. And, with the likes of Brazil, England and China slated to play here over the coming weeks, that is unlikely to change.

Hindmarsh has been hosting football matches since it opened in 1960 and several Olympic matches were played there in 2000 but it has also welcomed the All Blacks and hosted top-level rugby league including, briefly, NRL team the Adelaide Rams. A $53m (£27m) development started two years ago has been completed in time for the tournament and the stadium now boasts a new east stand roof, improved lighting, big screens and other improvements.

Eden Park, Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau

Capacity: 40,536

Opened: 1900

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New Zealand’s national stadium, Eden Park, is the grandfather figure of the country’s sporting grounds. Built on what was once a swampland, fed by lava from the now dormant nearby volcanoes, it has been a cricket and rugby ground in Auckland’s central suburbs for more than a century.

The stadium didn’t host a professional club football match until 2011. But it has had a taste of international women’s sport: the Football Ferns took on the US in front of more than 12,500 people – a record for a women’s football game in New Zealand. And last year the final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup sold out – a first for a women’s sporting event in the country. Eden Park will host some of the best-attended games of the tournament, including the opening match between New Zealand and Norway, as well as the opening ceremony.

Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin/Ōtepoti

Capacity: 24,243

Opened: 2011

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Forsyth Barr in Dunedin is New Zealand’s largest indoor stadium and, as well as rugby or football matches, it plays host to large-scale music shows, including Elton John, Ed Sheeran and Fleetwood Mac. Nicknamed “the Glasshouse”, it’s in Dunedin, a university city with a student-led nightlife.

For the brave, the west stand area – officially the Mitre 10 Mega Stand or unofficially “the Zoo” – is frequently occupied by Otago’s extensive student population, particularly for home rugby games, and is known for near-compulsory costumes, high-octane partying and general chaos. New Zealand’s South Island has a far colder winter climate than the north, so rug up – although the stadium’s roof does provide some shelter from the icier weather.

Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-tara

Capacity: 31,089

Opened: 2000

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Wellington Regional Stadium is affectionately known as “the Cake Tin” for its circular shape and metal facade, and is planted on reclaimed land overlooking Wellington’s harbour. It’s one of the most accessible of the four New Zealand stadiums: next to the city train station, and only a short walk from the beating heart of Wellington’s central city district, lined with restaurants, bars, cafes and vintage shopping.

There is only one main entrance in or out – a design that can slow foot traffic but also adds to the party (or commiseratory) atmosphere. The stadium should be in top shape to host its seven group matches, a last 16 match and quarter-final, having just completed a NZ$4m (£1.9m) revamp for the tournament, including a full pitch replacement, upgraded lighting, gender-neutral changing facilities and new entry turnstiles.

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton/Kirikiriroa

Capacity: 16,271

Opened: 2002

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Unlike many of New Zealand’s sporting arenas, Waikato Stadium is not built as an oval to also host cricket games – which means a tighter rectangular arrangement that places fans closer to the action. That makes it the most intimate football-watching environment of New Zealand’s stadium offerings, with stands placed right above the pitch.

A year after the stadium opened, a carved wooden Whatanoa gateway at its entrance was unveiled to commemorate the ancient Ngati Wairere Pa and burial ground near the site. Waikato Stadium has already played host to some of the World Cup women’s teams – it hosted the intercontinental playoffs between the six regional confederations in February in which Panama and Portugal sealed their spots in the tournament. The ground has also played host to past under-17s and under-20s Women’s World Cups.