Eden Park - WikiHQ

Eden Park is a sports venue in Auckland, New Zealand. It is located three kilometres southwest of the Auckland CBD, on the boundary between the suburbs of Mount Eden and Kingsland. The main stadium has a nominal capacity of 50,000 and is New Zealand's national stadium. The stadium is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer, and has also hosted rugby league and association football matches, as well as concerts and cultural events. It is owned and operated by the Eden Park Trust Board, whose headquarters are located in the stadium.

Eden Park is considered international rugby union's most difficult ground for visiting sides. New Zealand's national rugby union team, the All Blacks, have been unbeaten at this venue in 52 consecutive test matches stretching back to 1994. Eden Park is the site of the 2021 Te Matatini. It was the site for the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup, the final of the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup and staged the opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. In 2011 it hosted pool games, two quarter-finals, both semi-finals and the final of 2011 Rugby World Cup. In doing so it became the first stadium in the world to host two Rugby World Cup finals, having held the inaugural final in 1987. It was a venue for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand. In 1845, the area was purchased by Cornish farmer John Walters. Much early work on the cricket ground was needed, including clearing the stone walls that had been used to divide farmland, and ongoing drainage issues. In 1955, New Zealand hosted England in the second test match of their 1954–55 Tour of New Zealand. During the same year, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Eden Park Trust Act,

During the 1981 Springbok Tour, a low-flying Cessna 172 piloted by Marx Jones and Grant Cole disrupted the final test by dropping flour-bombs on the pitch.

The 1980s saw a number of record events such as a crowd of 43,000 at the 1981–82 Australia Tour of New Zealand, where Australian batsman Greg Chappell dealing with an on ground streaker with his bat. An indoor cricket facility and stand were built next to the outer oval. At the inaugural Rugby World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 1987, New Zealand defeated France 29 – 9 in the final in front of a crowd of 48,035. In 1988, Eden Park hosted the 1988 Rugby League World Cup final, with Australia defeating New Zealand 25 – 12 before a New Zealand rugby league record crowd of 47,363. This made Eden Park the only venue to have ever hosted (as of 2024) both the Rugby Union and Rugby League World Cup Finals and the only venue to do so in consecutive years. The 1988 World Cup Final was the first game of rugby league played at Eden Park since 1919. Eden Park was a venue during the 1992 Cricket World Cup, cohosted with Australia.

In 1996, the new Auckland Blues began playing at the ground, with the inaugural Super 12 final held at the ground, with the Auckland Blues defeating the 45 – 21 before a crowd of 46,000. The ground hosted Super 12 finals in 1997, 1998 and 2003. The ground hosted its first rugby test between New Zealand and Ireland as part of the 2002 Ireland Tour of New Zealand. In 2003, the playing surface on the main oval was completely overhauled with the introduction of "Motz" turf.

2011 Rugby World Cup and redevelopment

In 2007, the ground was confirmed by the New Zealand Government as the venue for the final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, with redevelopment beginning in 2008. The ground was the subject of a hotly debated dilemma, as to whether the event should be hosted at historic Eden Park or a new city centre stadium.

The Auckland Council takes over five of the nine spots on the Eden Park Trust Board, giving ratepayers control over the ground.

In 2015, it hosted four matches during the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand including the first semi final between New Zealand and South Africa. The stadium hosted its first day night test match during the English cricket tour in 2018.

In 2020, after 117 years, Eden Park sold week-long naming rights to longtime partner, ASB. As part of their commitment to small business in New Zealand, ASB gifted their naming rights to Coopers Catch, a small fish-and-chip shop from Kaikōura.

Hosting concerts

In 2021, Eden Park was granted resource consent to host up to six concerts per year. Eden Park hosted a concert for the first time since 1975, headlined by the band Six60 to a sold-out crowd of about 50,000 attendees. The concert was also one of the biggest concerts in the world at the time, due to COVID-19.

Since then, the stadium has hosted concerts for touring artists and acts including Billy Joel, Guns N' Roses, Ed Sheeran, Pink, Travis Scott and Metallica. Eden Park is currently in the process of applying to double its concert quota to 12 concerts per year.

Coldplay played three sold-out shows at Eden Park in November 2024, the most concerts ever played at the venue for a touring artist.

The stadium will host British singer Robbie Williams on 24 November 2026, as part of his Britpop Tour.

Redevelopment

Capacity

The $256 million redevelopment completed in October 2010 provided a permanent capacity of 50,000 with a further 10,000 temporary seats for the 2011 Rugby World Cup games. This is the largest of any New Zealand sports arena. There are no standing areas. Temporary seating in front of the North Stand and the West Stand (usually only used for international rugby matches) is required for the capacity to be reached. Due to sight-screens and the larger area required for cricket matches, cricket capacity is smaller.

Prior to redevelopment, Eden Park had a crowd capacity of 45,472 for rugby and 42,000 for cricket .

Expansion

The redevelopment project included a three-tier South stand replacing the old South and West stands, with a capacity of 24,000, and a three-tier East replacing the Terraces. The number of covered seats increased from 23,000 to 38,000. The redeveloped Eden Park has an internal concourse that allows people to circulate around the grounds inside the stadium, and facilities including food and beverage outlets, toilets and corporate areas were incorporated. The open plan approach to the design and establishment of a community centre and green space, and the removal of the perimeter fence, mean that the stadium has become more publicly accessible and a part of the neighbourhood.

There were public concerns about the height of the new structure and its shading effect on many nearby houses. Auckland City Council received 470 submissions on the resource consent application, over 300 of which were in favour of the redevelopment. On 26 January 2007, Eden Park received resource consent with 91 conditions imposed. The consent permitted the building of new stands in place of the terraces and south stand, but did not include consent for the NZ$385 million 'full option', which would have included covered seating.

Possible alternative stadium for the 2011 Rugby World Cup

In September 2006 it was announced that instead of Eden Park, the Government and Auckland City Council were assessing the possibility of a new stadium on Auckland's waterfront to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup. This assessment was part of the Government's formal due diligence process on the decision to redevelop Eden Park. The Government had said it would assist with the funding if a new stadium was built. The Government announced in a report in November 2006 that it would favour a new stadium on the Auckland waterfront, which would have meant that the Eden Park redevelopment would not have gone ahead, and that options for its use or redevelopment would have to be developed. After the Auckland City Council and the Auckland Regional Council differed in their support for the new stadium, the Government changed to supporting the redevelopment of Eden Park, subject to suitable resolution of the design, funding and governance issues.

Gallery

File:Eden Park cropped.jpg|Eden Park in 2005 prior to redevelopment

File:Eden Park Redevelopmen OnGoing Cranes.jpg|Cranes during the construction of the new South Stand in 2009

File:Eden Park Western Part Building Up.jpg|Looking south over the redevelopment of the West Stand at Eden Park in 2009

</gallery>

Rugby union

Eden Park is the home ground for the Auckland Blues in Super Rugby and Auckland in the National Provincial Championship. The ground regularly hosts All Blacks rugby union test matches. Auckland first used the ground in the 1913 season, and the first international fixture was against South Africa in 1921. The Auckland Blues have used the ground since their foundation in 1996.

The final game of the 1981 Springbok Tour was played at Eden Park. A low-flying Cessna 172 piloted by Marx Jones and Grant Cole dropped flour bombs on the field as part of widespread protests against the tour and apartheid.

Eden Park was used in the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup and the 2011 Rugby World Cup, both of which the All Blacks won against France, making it the first ground to host two Rugby World Cup finals.

{| class="wikitable"

!width="50"|

!width="50"| Played

!width="50"| Won

!width="50"| Lost

!width="50"| Drawn

!width="90"| New Zealand points

!width="75"| Opposition points

!width="75"| Win percentage

|align="center"| Overall

|align="center"| 94

|align="center"| 81

|align="center"| 10

|align="center"| 3

|align="center"| 2737

|align="center"| 1235

|align="center"| 86%

Records

Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was or last set.

{| class="wikitable"

!Record

!New Zealand

!Opposition

|Longest winning streak

|38 (22 Apr 1995–8 Jul 2017)

|2 (9 Sept 1978–20 Jun 1981)

|Longest unbeaten streak

|52 (6 Aug 1994 – Present)

|2 (9 Sept 1978–20 Jun 1981)

!colspan=3 align=center|Largest points for

|In a win

|78 (16 June 2017)

|30 (9 September 1978)

|In a loss

|20 (3 July 1994)

|35 (9 August 1997)

!colspan=3 align=center|Largest winning margin

|In a game

|78 (16 June 2017)

|14 (9 September 1978)

!colspan=3 align=center|Largest aggregate score

|colspan=3 align=center|90 (New Zealand 55–35 South Africa) (9 August 1997)

Rugby World Cup

Eden Park hosted matches of the 1987 and 2011 Rugby World Cups including hosting the final on both occasions.

1987

{|class="wikitable"

! Date

! Competition

!colspan=2| Home team

!colspan=2| Away team

! Attendance

|22 May 1987 || 1987 Rugby World Cup Pool 3 || || 70 || || 6 || 20,000

|23 May 1987 || 1987 Rugby World Cup Pool 4 || || 21 || || 20 || 4,500

|2 June 1987 || 1987 Rugby World Cup Pool 4 || || 70 || || 12 || 3,000

|7 June 1987 || 1987 Rugby World Cup Quarter-final 3 || || 16 || || 31 || 17,000

|20 June 1987 || 1987 Rugby World Cup Final || || 29 || || 9 || 48,035

2011

{|class="wikitable"

! Date

! Competition

!colspan=2| Home team

!colspan=2| Away team

! Attendance

|9 September 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool A || || 41 || || 10 || 60,214

|17 September 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool C || || 6 || || 15 || 58,678

|24 September 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool A || || 37 || || 17 || 60,856

|25 September 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool D || || 6 || || 15 || 58,678

|1 October 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool B || || 16 || || 12 || 58,213

|8 October 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Quarter-final 2 || || 12 || || 19 || 49,105

|9 October 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Quarter-final 4 || || 33 || || 10 || 57,192

|15 October 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Semi-final 1 || || 8 || || 9 || 58,630

|16 October 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Semi-final 2 || || 20 || || 6 || 60,087

|21 October 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Bronze Final || || 18 || || 21 || 53,014

|23 October 2011 || 2011 Rugby World Cup Final || || 8 || || 7 || 61,079

Cricket

Eden Park is the home ground for the Auckland cricket team. The ground regularly hosts international fixtures, including Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals, while the Outer Oval also hosts WODIs, domestic List A and Twenty20 games.

It first hosted a test in 1930. The ground was also the host to New Zealand's first Test victory, against West Indies in 1955–56 season. It has also been the scene of a dark day in New Zealand's cricket history when on 28 March 1955, the hosts collapsed to their lowest Test score (26 all out) against England.

The ground is also where famed Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar made his debut as an ODI opener. Ahead of the second ODI of the New Zealand-India series at the ground in March 1994, regular opener Navjot Singh Sidhu was ruled out with a stiff neck, opening the way for the 21-year-old Tendulkar's promotion. He made 82 off just 49 balls against to steer India to a 7-wicket victory.

It was a site for 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup.

World Cup matches

References:

Gallery

Image:Australia vs. New Zealand.jpg|New Zealand v Australia ODI, 2005, before east stand redevelopment

File:Eden Park, Auckland, South Stand.jpg|Looking at Eden Park's South Stand from the North Stand, during the warm-up for the 2015 Cricket World Cup semifinal, New Zealand vs South Africa

File:Blues vs Hurricanes 2020 Super Rugby Aoteraoa.jpg|Blues vs Hurricanes 2020

</gallery>

Rugby league

The biggest rugby league game played at Eden Park was the 1988 World Cup final played on 9 October, giving the venue the distinction of hosting the Union and League World Cup finals in consecutive years. This also sees Eden Park (as of 2018) as the only venue to host the World Cup final for both rugby codes. In a spiteful match in which the New Zealand national rugby league team seemed more intent on dishing out punishment than playing football, the Wally Lewis-led Australians defeated the home side 25–12 after leading 25–0 early in the second half. The game was played in front of a record New Zealand rugby league attendance of 47,363 (only 672 less than attended the 1987 Rugby WCF between the All Blacks and France 16 months earlier). Australia had won the right to host the final, but as international crowds in Australia had been dwindling in recent years due to the Kangaroos dominance (only 15,944 had attended the dead rubber Ashes series test between Australia and Great Britain at the Sydney Football Stadium three months earlier), the Australian Rugby League agreed to New Zealand hosting the game in the interests of promoting international rugby league. Their efforts were rewarded with the largest World Cup final attendance since 1968, when 54,290 saw Australia defeat France at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Eden Park hosted two matches (a double header) in the 2010 Rugby League Four Nations on 6 November. In the early game, England defeated Papua New Guinea 36–10, with Australia defeating New Zealand 34–20 in the second game. The fixture attracted 44,324 fans. The New Zealand Warriors played the Parramatta Eels in their first NRL match at Eden Park to start the 2011 NRL season in front of a crowd of 38,405 with Parramatta winning 24–18. The Warriors played their first home match of the 2012 season against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in a 2011 NRL Grand Final replay, with Manly winning 26–20 in front of 37,502. The 2012 ANZAC Test between Australia and New Zealand was played at Eden Park, with the Kangaroos winning 20–12 in front of 35,399. The Warriors played the Sydney Roosters in Round 2 of the 2013 NRL season, going down 16–14 in front of 32,740.

In 2013 a new faster format of rugby league was announced that it would be held at Eden Park. In 15–16 February 2014, Eden Park held the first ever NRL Auckland Nines tournament.

In 2010, Eden Park hosted its first rugby league internationals since 1988 when it hosted the third round of the 2010 Rugby League Four Nations. In a double header in front of 44,324 fans, England defeated Papua New Guinea 36–10 while Australia defeated New Zealand 34–20.

In 2019 the stadium, upgraded for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, hosted a triple header on 2 November. Two games of the Oceania Cup and the first test of the Baskerville Shield between the touring Great Britain Lions and New Zealand. In front of 25,257, Fiji started off by defeating Samoa 44–18. In the second game, New Zealand won for the first time at Eden Park, defeating Great Britain 12–8. Then came rugby league's biggest international shock for many years when Tonga defeated reigning and then 11 time World Cup champions Australia 16–12. It was the first time a Tier 2 nation had ever beaten the Kangaroos in a test match.

International rugby league returned to Eden Park in 2023 when the Pacific Championships for both Men's and women's played on the same day, but not in a double header. In the women's game New Zealand defeated Tonga 28–10 in front of approximately 10,000 fans. In the later men's game, New Zealand routed 2021 World Cup finalist Samoa 50–0 in front of 23,269.

Rugby League Tests at Eden Park

{| class="wikitable"

! Date !! Result !! Attendance !! Notes

| 9 October 1988 || def. 25–12 || 47,363 || 1985–1988 World Cup Final

| rowspan="2" | 6 November 2010 || def. 36–10 || rowspan="2" | 44,324 || rowspan="2" | 2010 Four Nations Round 3

| def. 34–20

| 20 April 2012 || def. 20–12 || 35,399 || 2012 Anzac Test

| rowspan="3" | 2 November 2019 || def. 44–18 || rowspan="3" | 25,257 || 2019 Oceania Cup Group B Game 2

| def. 12–8 || 2019 Baskerville Shield 1st Test

| def. 16–12 || 2019 Oceania Cup Group A Game 3

| rowspan="2" | 21 October 2023 || def. 28–10 || ≈10,000 || 2023 Pacific Championships Women's

| def. 50–0 || 23,269 || 2023 Pacific Championships Men's Game 2

|| 2 November 2025 || def. 10–4 || 19,154 || 2025 Pacific Championships Women's Game 3

| | 2 November 2025 || def. 40–14 || 38,114 || 2025 Pacific Championships Men's Game 3

Association football

Eden Park has hosted four New Zealand men's national team games; friendlies against South Africa and FK Austria Wien in 1947 and 1957 respectively, an Olympic qualifier against Israel for the Seoul Olympics in 1988, and most recently a friendly against the Australian Socceroos in 2022. They were defeated in all four games.

thumb|220x220px|All Whites playing the Socceroos at Eden Park, September 2022

On 19 November 2011, Eden Park hosted its first game of professional club football. The A-League regular season fixture between Wellington Phoenix and Adelaide United resulted in a 1–1 draw. The game attracted 20,078, a new attendance record for the Phoenix. The Phoenix returned to Eden Park on 2 February 2013 against long-distance rivals Perth Glory, drawing a crowd of 11,566 to see them win 1–0.

On 23 July 2014, Eden Park hosted English Premiership team West Ham United F.C. The A-League team Wellington Phoenix defeated West Ham 2–1.

The venue hosted several matches of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup including the opening match in which New Zealand beat Norway 1–0. This was the first ever victory for New Zealand at a men's or women's FIFA World Cup and was played in front of a record crowd of 42,137, which was the highest attended football match in New Zealand for men or women.

The attendance record was beaten on 1 August 2023 when 42,958 watched the final Group E game between the United States 0–0 draw against Portugal.

The record was beaten for a third time on 5 August 2023 when 43,217 watched the first Round of 16 knockout match which saw Spain beat Switzerland 5–1.

The fourth highest attendance for a football match attended in New Zealand with 41,107, when the United States beat Vietnam 3–0 in the group stages.

The stadium also hosted the final for OFC qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Fixtures

thumb|Spain vs Sweden – [[2023 FIFA Women's World Cup semifinal]]

{| class="wikitable"

!Date

!Team #1

!Res.

!Team #2

!Round

!Attendance

|20 July 2023

|1–0

|Group A

|42,137

|22 July 2023

|3–0

|Group E

|41,107

|24 July 2023

|1–0

|Group G

|30,889

|26 July 2023

|5–0

|Group C

|20,983

|31 July 2023

|6–0

|Group A

|34,697

|1 August 2023

|0–0

|Group E

|42,958

|5 August 2023

|1–5

|Round of 16

|43,217

|11 August 2023

|1–2

|Quarter-finals

|43,217

|15 August 2023

|2–1

|Semi-finals

|43,217

Outer Oval

Eden Park Outer Oval (also known as Eden Park No.2 and, since 2021, "Kennards Hire Community Oval") is a cricket ground on the western side of the main Eden Park ground. It is home to the Auckland Aces cricket team. The ground has a grandstand with seating for around 1,000 spectators, and can accommodate approximately 4,000 spectators overall. Its first first-class cricket match was held in January 1976. As of January 2023 it has staged 135 first-class matches and 124 List A matches. The Old Members Stand at the ground was renamed the Merv Wallace Stand in honour of New Zealand cricketer Merv Wallace.

References

External links

Eden Park website

2011 Rugby World Cup and redevelopment

Hosting concerts

Redevelopment

Capacity

Expansion

Possible alternative stadium for the 2011 Rugby World Cup

Gallery

Rugby union

Records

Rugby World Cup

1987

2011

Cricket

World Cup matches

Gallery

Rugby league

Rugby League Tests at Eden Park

Association football

2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Fixtures

Outer Oval

See also

References

External links