As part of Eden Park’s vision to diversify and attract new events, it’s gearing up to bring an A-League match to New Zealand’s national stadium, followed up with a Super Rugby clash.
The sports lovers’ extravaganza weekend next February will feature Wellington Phoenix v Melbourne Victory and then, the following night, Blues v Crusaders – showcasing just what the stadium can achieve within a 24-hour turnaround.
Wellington Phoenix General Manager David Dome says his team is yet to lose at Eden Park – a record which can’t be touted by many teams.
“As a club we are thrilled we can return to New Zealand’s most iconic sporting stadium. We have played at Eden Park on five previous occasions and are yet to lose. This Wellington team does not fear any team – we’ve already beaten a full strength Victory in the pre-season and with a big Auckland crowd behind us, we know we can do it again.”
Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner is excited to be bringing the A-League’s biggest club to New Zealand’s national stadium.
“We’re pleased to have secured an opportunity to offer Aucklanders a jam-packed weekend of sport at our iconic Auckland stadium and showcase our first-class ability to turn around the venue quickly. The introduction of premier football in next year’s event calendar is a testament to our desire to modernise and attract visitors from all across the city.”
Wellington Phoenix go head to head with Melbourne Victory on Friday 15 February at 7.35pm. The Blues battle the Crusaders on Saturday 16 February at 7.35pm. Tickets will be on sale soon.
Statistics from previous Wellington Phoenix fixtures at Eden Park;
- 19 November 2011: A-League v Adelaide Utd., drew 1-1, attendance 20,078 – 2 February 2013: A-League v Perth Glory, won 1-0, attendance 11,566
- 1 February 2014: A-League v Adelaide Utd., won 2-1, attendance 18,056
- 23 July 2014: Friendly v West Ham Utd., won 2-1, attendance 19,183
- 13 December 2014: A-League v Central Coast, drew 1-1, attendance 11,051
Eden Park is committed to greater utilisation of the stadium and its facilities for the benefit of the local and wider community.
About Eden Park
Eden Park is New Zealand’s national stadium and a globally-iconic arena, located in central Auckland.
Eden Park Trust operates as a statutory not-for-profit body corporate, registered as a charitable trust with the Charities Commission. Its objectives are to promote, operate and develop Eden Park as a high-quality multi-purpose stadium for the use and benefit of rugby and cricket as well as other sporting codes and other recreational, musical, and cultural events for the benefit of the public of the Auckland region.
Its rich history and profile is unmatched by any other stadium in the country. From its beginnings as a cricket ground in 1903, Eden Park became the primary venue for major summer and winter sport in Auckland when in 1913, the owner, Auckland Cricket, leased winter use of the ground to Auckland Rugby.
A Deed of Trust establishing Auckland Cricket and Auckland Rugby as the beneficial owners of Eden Park was signed in 1926 and has since been enshrined in legislation. Most notably remembered for hosting the 1987 and 2011 Rugby World Cup Finals, Eden Park remains the home of both Auckland Cricket and Auckland Rugby as it has been for more than a century.
Each year, more than half a million sports and entertainment fans from around the world visit Eden Park. The stadium successfully hosts sell-out crowds of up to 50,000 on match days and hosts more than 1,000 non-match day functions per year.
For more information head to their website here.
