A wide variety of sports is played and attended by millions of Australians every week. The most popular sports are Australian football, cricket, rugby, and Association football (soccer as it’s referred to in Australia and several other countries).
The country is home to some of the most amazing stadiums in the world, including 2 that made it to our list of biggest stadiums in the world.
We have compiled a list of the biggest stadiums in Australia so you can get to know the amazing venues in which these sports are played. Rest assured, some of these are pretty incredible.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is by far the biggest stadium in Australia and the only one in the country that has a capacity exceeding 100,000 spectators. This massive arena is located in Yarra Park, a section of the city dedicated to sports facilities.
The original version of the stadium was opened way back in 1853 and it has been expanded and renovated multiple times throughout its history. It’s used for multiple sports and has hosted several important events. These include the 1956 Summer Olympics, the 1992 and 2015 Cricket World Cups, and it’s the main venue of Australian Football League matches as well.
Aerial view of the MCG / Alexander Sheko / Wiki Commons
2. Stadium Australia
Location: Sydney, New South Wales
Capacity: 83,500
Stadium Australia is the main sports venue in the most popular city in Australia, Sydney. It’s sometimes referred to as the Sydney Olympic Stadium or Olympic Stadium, a reference to the reason why it was built which was the 2000 Summer Olympics.
The stadium was able to seat 110,000 people during this event but has been modified and scaled-down in 2003. The multi-purpose stadium allows both a rectangular field and an oval field which allows it to accommodate 83,500 and 82,500 spectators respectively.
The stadium in Sydney during a game / MasterMind5991 / Wiki Commons
3. Perth Stadium
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Capacity: 61,266
Perth Stadium is currently referred to as the Optus Stadium for sponsorship reasons and is a fairly recent stadium that was completed in 2017 and officially opened in January of 2018. It’s located in Burswood, a suburb in the southeastern part of Perth.
It’s another stadium that can be transformed from an oval to a rectangular stadium and vice versa to host several sports games. The rectangular version can expand the stadium to 65,000 seats. Its most common use is for Australian Football and Cricket games of the local teams.
Perth Stadium on openings day / Gnangarra / Wiki Commons
4. Adelaide Oval
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Capacity: 55,317
The Adelaide Oval is a major sports venue in the capital and largest city in the state of South Australia. It’s mainly used for cricket and Australian Football but can also be used for several other sports. These include rugby, soccer, tennis. The stadium can also be used for concerts.
The stadium opened its doors in 1871 and was expanded multiple times throughout its history. The most current redevelopment was completed in 2014 and not only turned it into one of the biggest stadiums in Australia but also in one of the most beautiful ones.
Adelaide Oval / Trentino Priori / Wiki Commons
5. Docklands Stadium
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Capacity: 53,343
The Docklands Stadium is currently known as the Marvel Stadium and is located in the Docklands area of Melbourne, the second-most populous city in Australia. It’s also the second-biggest stadium in the city after the immense Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The inner Melbourne borough just west of the city’s central business district makes this a remarkable sports venue. It was completed between 1997 and 2000 and is mostly used for Australian Football games. It replaced the outdated Waverley Park in Mulgrave, about 21 kilometers (13 miles) southeast of the city center.
6. Lang Park
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Capacity: 52,500
Lang Park is also known as the Brisbane Football Stadium and officially as the Suncorp Stadium for sponsorship reasons. The distinctive shape of this stadium in Brisbane, the third most populous city in Australia, has also resulted in it being nicknamed “The Cauldron.”
This stadium is predominantly used for rugby matches of its 3 main tenants, the Brisbane Broncos, the Queensland Reds, and the Australian Wallabies. It has hosted several important events, including the 2008 and 2017 Rugby League World Cup Finals, and will be the main venue of the football tournament of the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane.
Inside Lang Park / Tiger Benji / Wiki Commons
7. Sydney Cricket Ground
Location: Sydney, New South Wales
Capacity: 48,601
The Sydney Cricket Ground is another historic stadium in Australia that has an extensive history going back to its opening in 1848. It’s the second-biggest stadium in the city of Sydney and is the home venue of a number of the te New South Wales Blues cricket team, the Sydney Sixers, and the Sydney Swans.
The popular stadium is also used by both the Australian national cricket team and the New South Wales cricket team. As you surely expected, the stadium has been redeveloped multiple times, including the addition of the M.A Noble, Bradman, and Messenger stands between 2013 and 2014.
Sydney Cricket Ground /Marc Dalmulder / Wiki Commons
8. Brisbane Cricket Ground
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Capacity: 36,000
The Brisbane Cricket Ground is commonly referred to as “The Gabba,” a reference to the Woolloongabba suburb of Brisbane where it’s located. The original version of this massive stadium was opened in 1895 but has been redeveloped several times.
The most important redevelopment happened in 6 stages between 1993 and 2005 and resulted in a seating capacity of 42,000. This has since been reduced to 36,000 seats. The stadium will be expanded once more to 50,000 seats for the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane.
Brisbane Cricket Ground aka “The Gabba” / Rae Allen / Wiki Commons
9. Kardinia Park
Location: South Geelong, Victoria
Capacity: 36,000
Kardinia Park is the common name of the stadium that is officially known as the GMHBA Stadium. This is a reference to Kardinia Park where it’s located, a major green area in South Geelong, a suburb of the city of Geelong in Victoria.
While it’s far from being the biggest stadium in Australia, it is the largest stadium that isn’t located in one of the country’s large cities. It’s the home venue of both the AFC Geelong Football Club and Western United FC, a soccer team that plays in Australia’s A-league.
Kardinia Park / Bob T / Wiki Commons
10. Newcastle International Sports Centre
Location: Newcastle, New South Wales
Capacity: 33,000
Newcastle International Sports Centre is officially known as the McDonald Jones Stadium and is a stadium that is mainly used for both National Rugby League games and soccer games. The Newcastle Knights and the Newcastle Jets FC are the two main tenants respectively.
This stadium does give you the sensation of being in a European stadium as spectators are seated relatively close to the pitch. The stadium was completed between 1967 and 1970 and officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II. The stadium features 23,000 seats and 10,000 standing places.
Newcastle International Sports Centre / Naparazzi / Wiki Commons
