FMG Stadium Waikato is a major sporting and cultural events venue in Hamilton, New Zealand, with a total capacity of 25,800. Four areas contribute to this capacity: The Brian Perry Stand holding 12,000, the WEL Networks Stand 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 two rugby union teams:
In 1925, Rugby Park opened. In 1930, a rugby union match between Waikato and Great Britain was first broadcast on the radio in Hamilton. 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 visiting Springboks Rugby 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 infamous 1981 Springbok tour where the match was cancelled due to the pitch being invaded by protesters. 1987 saw Rugby Park host its first Rugby World Cup match, 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 of Hamilton announced plans to replace both Rugby Park and the city's premier cricket venue, Westpac Park, with a single large oval stadium at the Rugby Park site. However, this was reconsidered upon a funding of only NZ$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 a Super 12 rugby match between the Chiefs and Crusaders.[2]
On 1 October 2015 Waikato Stadium became known as FMG Stadium Waikato after a 10-year naming rights agreement was approved.[3]
Facilities
FMG Stadium Waikato is a multi-purpose facility, though used mainly for rugby union. As many sports fields in New Zealand are multi-purpose (namely serving rugby union and cricket), 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 the Waikato Mitre 10 Cup team, the Chiefs team in the Super Rugby competition and, on occasion, has hosted international fixtures for the New Zealand All Blacks. It has also been the home ground for Waikato FC in New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC) and has been used for FIFA age-group World Cups. It has infrequently hosted matches for the New Zealand Warriorsrugby league team in the National 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.
FMG Stadium Waikato (then known as Rugby Park) was host to one of the matches during the 1981 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.[4]
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 Cup rugby, Kingz and Wellington Phoenix football, Impact World Tour, Habitat for Humanity, Summer Jam, Volcanic Paintball, Crusty Demons, WIPSEC Cultural Concert, Regional/National Marching Championship, NRL New Zealand Warriors, Waikato FCNZFC matches, 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 renamed Māori All Blacks), over the touring British & Irish Lions.
It was one of four host stadiums of the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, hosting six group matches and two quarter-finals.[5] FMG Waikato Stadium also hosted three pool matches for the Rugby World Cup 2011 – Wales vs. Samoa, Wales vs. Fiji, and New Zealand vs. Japan.[6]
^"Hamilton to make history by hosting first ever rugby league tests in 2017 World Cup". stuff.co.nz.
^"Great Britain beaten on Test return". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
^Vidyadharan, Avina (22 February 2023). "Waikato Stadium turf on par with international fields, ready for 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Waikato Stadium.
Official website
March 12, 2023
waikato, stadium, stadium, waikato, major, sporting, cultural, events, venue, hamilton, zealand, with, total, capacity, four, areas, contribute, this, capacity, brian, perry, stand, holding, networks, stand, holding, goal, line, terrace, holding, greenzone, ho. FMG Stadium Waikato is a major sporting and cultural events venue in Hamilton New Zealand with a total capacity of 25 800 Four areas contribute to this capacity The Brian Perry Stand holding 12 000 the WEL Networks Stand 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 two rugby union teams The Chiefs in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition The Waikato side in the country s top provincial rugby competition the Mitre 10 Cup FMG Stadium WaikatoFormer namesRugby Park 1925 99 LocationHamilton New ZealandCoordinates37 46 52 S 175 16 6 E 37 78111 S 175 26833 E 37 78111 175 26833 Coordinates 37 46 52 S 175 16 6 E 37 78111 S 175 26833 E 37 78111 175 26833OwnerHamilton City CouncilCapacity25 800 1 SurfaceGrassConstructionBroke ground2000Opened2002TenantsWaikato Rugby Union 2002 present Chiefs 2002 present WaiBop United 2015 2016 New Zealand 7s 2018 present Contents 1 History 2 Facilities 3 Notable events 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditIn 1925 Rugby Park opened In 1930 a rugby union match between Waikato and Great Britain was first broadcast on the radio in Hamilton 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 visiting Springboks Rugby 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 infamous 1981 Springbok tour where the match was cancelled due to the pitch being invaded by protesters 1987 saw Rugby Park host its first Rugby World Cup match 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 of Hamilton announced plans to replace both Rugby Park and the city s premier cricket venue Westpac Park with a single large oval stadium at the Rugby Park site However this was reconsidered upon a funding of only NZ 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 a Super 12 rugby match between the Chiefs and Crusaders 2 On 1 October 2015 Waikato Stadium became known as FMG Stadium Waikato after a 10 year naming rights agreement was approved 3 Facilities EditFMG Stadium Waikato is a multi purpose facility though used mainly for rugby union As many sports fields in New Zealand are multi purpose namely serving rugby union and cricket 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 the Waikato Mitre 10 Cup team the Chiefs team in the Super Rugby competition and on occasion has hosted international fixtures for the New Zealand All Blacks It has also been the home ground for Waikato FC in New Zealand Football Championship NZFC and has been used for FIFA age group World Cups It has infrequently hosted matches for the New Zealand Warriors rugby league team in the National 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 Edit Waikato Stadium New Zealand Maori v British amp Irish Lions 2005 FMG Stadium Waikato then known as Rugby Park was host to one of the matches during the 1981 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 4 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 Cup rugby Kingz and Wellington Phoenix football Impact World Tour Habitat for Humanity Summer Jam Volcanic Paintball Crusty Demons WIPSEC Cultural Concert Regional National Marching Championship NRL New Zealand Warriors Waikato FC NZFC matches Kiwi Bowl Gridiron and International football On 11 June 2005 Waikato Stadium was host to a historic first ever win by the New Zealand Maori Rugby Union Team later renamed Maori All Blacks over the touring British amp Irish Lions It was one of four host stadiums of the 2008 FIFA U 17 Women s World Cup hosting six group matches and two quarter finals 5 FMG Waikato Stadium also hosted three pool matches for the Rugby World Cup 2011 Wales vs Samoa Wales vs Fiji and New Zealand vs Japan 6 On 4 August 2012 the stadium hosted the 2012 Super Rugby Final between the Chiefs and the Sharks In 2017 Waikato Stadium hosted their first ever rugby league test matches with two 2017 Rugby League World Cup Group B games Samoa vs Tonga 18 156 spectators and New Zealand vs Tonga 24 041 spectators 7 In 2018 New Zealand Sevens was held on the 3 4 Feb in 2019 the Tongan rugby league team defeated the Great Britain Lions 14 6 in the 2019 Great Britain Lions tour at the ground 8 In 2023 it will be used as one of the venues for the 2023 FIFA Women s World Cup hosting five group stage matches Waikato Stadium was also one of two venues to host the inter confederation play offs 9 References Edit About FMG Stadium Waikato waikatostadium co nz Waikato Stadium 2009 History http www waikatostadium co nz page pageid 2145834898 History Naming deal for Waikato Stadium Stuff Retrieved 21 December 2015 Tour diary 1981 Springbok tour NZHistory New Zealand history online nzhistory net nz FIFA com FIFA U 17 Women s World Cup Destination fifa com Archived from the original on 23 October 2008 Buy Waikato Rugby Shirts amp Jerseys therugbyworldcup co uk Hamilton to make history by hosting first ever rugby league tests in 2017 World Cup stuff co nz Great Britain beaten on Test return BBC Sport Retrieved 15 February 2023 Vidyadharan Avina 22 February 2023 Waikato Stadium turf on par with international fields ready for 2023 Fifa Women s World Cup Stuff co nz Retrieved 23 February 2023 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Waikato Stadium Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Waikato Stadium amp oldid 1141100942, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
