Eden Park
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,[5] and is sometimes referred to as New Zealand's national stadium.[6] 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.
For other places with the same name, see Eden Park (disambiguation).Location
Kingsland, New Zealand
Eden Park Trust Board
Eden Park Trust Board
61,240 (New Zealand vs South Africa, 1 September 1956)
MOTZ turf
1900
HOK Sports, now Populous (reconstruction)
Connell Wagner, now Aurecon (reconstruction)
14–17 February 1930:
New Zealand v 
England
22–26 March 2018: New Zealand v England
22 February 1976: New Zealand v 
India
25 March 2023: New Zealand v 
Sri Lanka
17 February 2005: New Zealand v 
Australia
25 February 2024: New Zealand v Australia
26–29 March 1949: New Zealand v England
27–29 December 1957: New Zealand v England
20 January 1988: New Zealand v Australia
20 March 2022: New Zealand v England
22 February 2012: New Zealand v England
1 April 2021: New Zealand v Australia
27 January 2020: New Zealand v 
South Africa
Eden Park is considered one of international rugby union's most difficult grounds for visiting sides. New Zealand's national rugby union team, nicknamed the All Blacks, have been unbeaten at this venue in 48 consecutive test matches stretching back to 1994.[7] Eden Park is the site of the 2021 Te Matatini.[8] 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.[9] It was a venue for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.[10]
Redevelopment[edit]
Capacity[edit]
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.[22] 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 .[23]
Expansion[edit]
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 world-class 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.[24]
Possible alternative stadium for the 2011 Rugby World Cup[edit]
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.[25] 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.[26]
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
Blues vs Hurricanes 2020
Rugby league[edit]
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.[30] 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 35,329. The Warriors played the Sydney Roosters in Round 2 of the 2013 NRL season, going down 16–14 in front of 32,740.[31]
In 2013 a new faster format of rugby league was announced that it would be held at Eden Park.[32] In 15–16 February 2014, Eden Park held the first ever NRL Auckland Nines tournament.
Outer Oval[edit]
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.[43] 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.[44][45][46]