Today marks a historic day for Eden Park, Auckland and New Zealand, with two major announcements strengthening the long-term position of the country’s national stadium.
The Government has confirmed changes to local planning rules that have previously constrained Eden Park’s ability to host major events. It has also been confirmed that Eden Park will host New Zealand’s first-ever State of Origin match in 2027.
As New Zealand’s national stadium, and the only venue in the country capable of hosting more than 50,000 for sport and even larger audiences for concerts, Eden Park plays a unique role in the nation’s sporting and cultural landscape.
Eden Park Chief Executive Nick Sautner said the announcements reflect growing confidence in the stadium’s strategic importance.
“Today is a historic day for Eden Park, our city and our country. These announcements recognise both the economic value of major events, and the unique role Eden Park plays as New Zealand’s national stadium.”
Under the updated planning framework, Eden Park will be permitted to host up to 12 large concerts (30,000+) and 20 medium concerts (10,000–30,000) annually without resource consent, hold concerts on Sundays, remove caps on night-time sports fixtures within a 35-day period, and operate concerts until 11pm and sports fixtures until 10.30pm.
“These are significant changes,” Mr Sautner said. “They bring our operating settings into line with comparable international venues and provide the flexibility required to compete for global content, while continuing to deliver economic and social benefits locally.”
The Government’s investigation found the previous framework was restrictive and out of step with global best practice. Combined with the new $70 million Major Events Fund, the updated settings materially strengthen New Zealand’s competitiveness in the global events market.
“A stadium of this scale must be able to respond to demand,” Mr Sautner said. “This is about certainty and flexibility, enabling greater utilisation over time, while ensuring events are planned and responsibly managed throughout the year.”
Independent analysis by the University of Auckland reported that Eden Park delivers more than $37m in annual GDP benefits to Auckland, a figure that could increase to approximately $107m per year under enhanced utilisation.
Mr Sautner acknowledged the confidence shown by the local community.
“We are proud to be New Zealand’s national stadium, and we are equally conscious that we sit within a residential neighbourhood. With 97 percent local support for hosting more events, our community has demonstrated strong confidence in Eden Park’s ability to deliver at scale while operating responsibly.”
In a further milestone, Eden Park will host New Zealand’s first-ever State of Origin match in 2027. The fixture is expected to attract significant domestic and international visitation, delivering an estimated $17.4m economic injection to Auckland.
“State of Origin is one of Australia’s biggest sporting events,” Mr Sautner said. “Bringing it to Eden Park reinforces our position as New Zealand’s premier venue, a community asset for Auckland and strategic asset for New Zealand and reflects growing confidence from international event owners in what this stadium can deliver.”
Further details regarding the 2027 State of Origin fixture, including dates and ticketing, will be confirmed by the NRL later this year.
