Allianz Stadium – stadium description

How did the construction of the new Allianz Stadium in Sydney happen?

In September 2015, the New South Wales state government first revealed plans to build a new venue on the site of the existing Allianz Stadium in Sydney. The new arena would accommodate around 50,000-55,000 spectators. Further plans were unveiled by the government in 2017, according to which the proposed new stadium would have a capacity similar to its predecessor, around 45,000 spectators.

These plans were all the more surprising given that Allianz Stadium was still a relatively young venue, having been built in 1988. A substantial amount was also planned to be spent on the redevelopment, with estimates at the time predicting an expenditure of around AU$700 million, covered solely from public funds.

Despite criticisms, the investment was decided to go ahead. On October 5, 2018, the last official event in the old stadium took place (the Michael Buble concert), and a week later, the architectural concept for the new venue was unveiled by Cox Architects, the same firm that designed the previous 1988 stadium.

How did the construction of the new Allianz Stadium in Sydney progress?

In December 2018, a contract was signed with Lendlease to demolish the old venue and then build a new stadium in its place. The agreement called for all works to be carried out at a cost of $729 million. However, in July 2019, when most of the demolition work was already done, the deal was terminated with Lendlease demanding a higher amount to carry out the investment.

In December 2019, a deal was signed with a new contractor, John Holland, which undertook to complete the investment at a cost of $735 million (the total cost of the project thus increased to $828 million). Work was not slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic and the new contractor carried on as scheduled. In March 2022, it was announced that the stadium's title sponsor would be, as was the case with its predecessor, the insurance company Allianz.

When did the new Allianz Stadium in Sydney open?

The grand opening of the stadium took place on August 28, 2022. On the opening day, a number of attractions were organised, including tours of the stadium's interior, meetings with athletes and access to the pitch. In the evening, there were multimedia, dance and pyrotechnic shows, combined with performances by Australian stars Guy Sebastian and Baker Boy.

Who does Allianz Stadium in Sydney serve?

The main users of the stadium are three clubs, one football club, Sydney FC, playing in the A-League, and two rugby teams, the Sydney Roosters, playing in the National Rugby League, and the New South Wales Waratahs, a Super Rugby participant. The venue is also expected to be one of the arenas for the 2023 Women's World Cup and the 2032 Olympic football tournament. The stadium is also being considered as part of Australia's potential bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The venue can also host other events such as concerts. The arena is operated by the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust.

What does Allianz Stadium in Sydney look like?

The venue is located a short distance from the centre of the Sydney metropolitan area, next to the Sydney Cricket Ground. The stadium has a rectangular pitch, primarily for football and rugby. The playing field is surrounded on all sides by stands, two storeys high around the perimeter, with an additional tier along the sidelines. The capacity of the facility is 42,500 spectators.

The seats in the stands form an interesting colour scheme, with motifs referring to nature and based on Aboriginal culture. Two wide screens have been installed in the stands behind the gates. The auditorium is fully covered by a canopy, which is made of membrane and finished with narrow glass sections. Under the roof, floodlights were installed to provide illumination of the arena.

The stands were enclosed all around to provide extensive commercial facilities. The façade was created using striking bronze slats to give the arena an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Despite the rectangular layout of the stands, from the outside the stadium has an oval form. The venue was built on the site of its previously demolished predecessor, albeit with a slightly rotated pitch.

How does the new Allianz Stadium differ from its predecessor?

Compared to the old stadium, the new facility offers, among other things, much more commercial space, steeper stands or a fully covered auditorium (whereas the old stadium had less than ⅓ of the seats covered). Capacity is slightly lower (42,500 compared to the previous 45,000). However, the newly built arena is one of the most modern of its kind in the entire country.