Waikato Stadium

FMG Stadium Waikatois a major sporting and cultural events venue inHamilton,New Zealand, with a total capacity of 25,800. Four areas contribute to this capacity: The Brian Perry Stand holding 12,000, theWEL NetworksStand holding 8,000, the Goal Line Terrace holding 800 and the Greenzone can hold up to 5,000 people. The capacity can be extended, however, by temporarily adding 5,000 seats to the Goal Line Terrace area. The stadium, owned by the Hamilton City Council, regularly hosts tworugby unionteams:

• TheChiefsin the Southern HemisphereSuper Rugbycompetition.
• TheWaikatoside in the country's top provincial rugby competition, theMitre 10 Cup.

FMG Stadium Waikato

Former names	Rugby Park (1925–99)
Location	Hamilton,New Zealand
Coordinates	37°46′52″S175°16′6″E
Owner	Hamilton City Council
Capacity	25,800
Surface	Grass
Construction
Broke ground	2000
Opened	2002
Tenants
Waikato Rugby Union(2002–present) Chiefs(2002–present) WaiBop United(2015–2016) New Zealand 7s(2018–present)

History

In 1925, Rugby Park opened. In 1930, arugby unionmatch betweenWaikatoand Great Britain was first broadcast on the radio inHamilton.In 1937, South Africa visited Hamilton in front of a then record crowd of 13,000. One of the most memorable games at the ground was in 1956 when Waikato beat the visitingSpringboksRugby team with over 31,000 people in attendance. In 1958, Rugby Park commenced the upgrade of a new grandstand which opened in 1959. In 1981, Rugby Park hosted part of the infamous1981 Springbok tourwhere the match was cancelled due to the pitch being invaded by protesters. 1987 saw Rugby Park host its firstRugby World Cupmatch, Fiji v Argentina.

In 1996, the Waikato Regional Sports and Event Centre Trust were formed as it was decided that the city required a new sports stadium to attract more sports fixtures and events. The city ofHamiltonannounced plans to replace both Rugby Park and the city's premiercricketvenue,Westpac Park,with a single large oval stadium at the Rugby Park site. However, this was reconsidered upon a funding of onlyNZ$270 million in funding, far short of the estimated NZ$520 million cost. It then decided instead to rebuild and modernise both stadiums on a smaller scale, reducing the total cost to NZ$30 million. In 2000, the construction of Waikato Stadium commenced, and in 2002, Waikato Stadium officially opened with aSuper 12rugby match between theChiefsandCrusaders.

On 1 October 2015 Waikato Stadium became known as FMG Stadium Waikato after a 10-year naming rights agreement was approved.

Facilities

FMG Stadium Waikato is a multi-purpose facility, though used mainly forrugby union.As many sports fields in New Zealand are multi-purpose (namely servingrugby unionandcricket), the stadium is often regarded as one of the best pure rectangular stadia for football-based sporting codes in New Zealand. It is the home field of theWaikatoMitre 10 Cup team, theChiefsteam in theSuper Rugbycompetition and, on occasion, has hosted international fixtures for the New ZealandAll Blacks.It has also been the home ground forWaikato FCinNew Zealand Football Championship(NZFC) and has been used forFIFAage-group World Cups. It has infrequently hosted matches for theNew Zealand Warriorsrugby leagueteam in theNational Rugby League(NRL) competition. The stadium also caters for private functions and events within its many different facilities. Such services include: Gallagher Lounge, Bronze Lounge, Genesis Energy Lounge, Radio Sport Lounge, Clarke Lounge, Network Lounge, Boardroom and TV Commentary Room.

Notable events

Waikato Stadium,New Zealand MāorivBritish & Irish Lions,2005

FMG Stadium Waikato (then known as Rugby Park) was host to one of the matches during the1981 Springbok Tour.However, the game against Waikato was called off in front of a full house at Rugby Park. A pitch invasion by several hundred anti-tour protestors and rumours that a light aircraft had been stolen from Taupo and was headed for Rugby Park proved too much for the authorities.

Since 2002, the stadium has been host to a variety of events ranging from sporting events to cultural events. This includes: Men’s and Women’s International rugby,Super Rugby,Mitre 10 Cuprugby,KingzandWellington Phoenixfootball, Impact World Tour,Habitat for Humanity,Summer Jam, Volcanic Paintball,Crusty Demons,WIPSEC Cultural Concert, Regional/National Marching Championship,NRLmatches involving theNew Zealand Warriors,Waikato FCNZFCmatches, Kiwi Bowl Gridiron and International football.

On 11 June 2005, Waikato Stadium was host to a historic, first ever win by the New Zealand Māori Rugby Union Team (later renamedMāori All Blacks), over thetouring British & Irish Lions.

It was one of four host stadiums of the2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup,hosting six group matches and two quarter-finals.FMG Waikato Stadium also hosted three pool matches for theRugby World Cup 2011– Wales vs. Samoa, Wales vs. Fiji, and New Zealand vs. Japan.

On 4 August 2012, the stadium hosted the2012 Super Rugby Finalbetween the Chiefs and theSharks.

In 2017, Waikato Stadium hosted their first ever rugby league test matches with two2017 Rugby League World CupGroup Bgames –Samoavs.Tonga(18,156 spectators), andNew Zealandvs. Tonga (24,041 spectators).

In 2018 New Zealand Sevens was held on the 3–4 Feb.

in 2019, the Tongan rugby league team defeated theGreat Britain Lions14–6 in the2019 Great Britain Lions tourat the ground.

In 2023, it will be used as one of the venues for the2023 FIFA Women's World Cup,hosting five matches. Waikato Stadium was also one of two venues to host theinter-confederation play-offs.

Date	Team #1	Res.	Team #2	Stage	Attendance
21 July 2023	Zambia	0–5	Japan	Group C	16,111
25 July 2023	Switzerland	0–0	Norway	Group A	10,769
27 July 2023	Portugal	2–0	Vietnam	Group E	6,645
31 July 2023	Costa Rica	1–3	Zambia	Group C	8,117
2 August 2023	Argentina	0–2	Sweden	Group G	17,907

External links

• Official website