The Gabba is set to be demolished after the 2032 Olympic Games, paving the way for a new 60,000-seater stadium in Brisbane’s Victoria Park. This decision, announced by Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, brings clarity to the future of cricket in the state after years of uncertainty surrounding the historic venue.
Cricket Australia (CA) and Queensland Cricket played a key role in advocating for the new stadium. When CA released its seven-year international venue allocation plan in 2024, the Gabba was only guaranteed to host international matches until the 2025-26 Ashes. Now, with a definitive plan in place, the future of major cricket events in Brisbane is secured.
“This decision gives us certainty about venues and scheduling which in turn allows us to ensure Brisbane hosts the very best possible international and domestic cricket,” CA said in a statement. “We strongly advocated building a stadium in Victoria Park together with Queensland Cricket, the AFL and Brisbane Lions, and cricket will play a major role in ensuring this significant investment delivers long-term benefits for cricket fans and the people of Queensland.”
Originally, the Labor government planned to demolish and rebuild the Gabba for AUD 2.7 billion, but these plans were scrapped due to public backlash over rising costs. A subsequent AUD 600 million facelift proposal was also abandoned. The new government has now opted for an entirely new stadium at Victoria Park.
“The Gabba is at its end of life,” Crisafulli stated. “It hasn’t been well maintained, and we do need a stadium to host this great show, and there is an opportunity for legacy play. It became a choice between spending billions on temporary facilities and temporary stands that delivered no legacy, or securing the future of AFL [and] cricket at a new home.”
Queensland Cricket CEO Terry Svenson welcomed the announcement, highlighting the opportunities the new venue presents. “The Gabba has been a wonderful venue for cricket for many years and has provided fans and players with countless memories – however, the challenges the stadium faces are well documented, and we need to look to the future. There is now the opportunity for Queensland to attract the world’s best cricket events, such as ICC events, men’s and women’s Ashes Series, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between Australia and India, as well as hosting the BBL and WBBL in a new purpose-built stadium.”
Cricket is set to return to the Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, having last featured in 1900. If retained for 2032, matches could be played at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena and the Gabba, marking the stadium’s final cricketing moments before demolition.
“Wouldn’t it be amazing to see the Australian cricket team win gold at an Olympic final? The Gabba’s swansong,” Crisafulli remarked.
The Brisbane Lions have also embraced the transition, with CEO Greg Swann noting, “The Gabba has been a great home for the past 30 years, but the city has outgrown it, the Lions have outgrown it, and the venue is reaching its end of life. The Olympics and Paralympics present an opportunity to deliver a venue that will serve the city and state’s growing population, not just for the Games, but for the next 50 years.”
The Queensland Government has also committed to investing in sports infrastructure across the state. Meanwhile, another international cricket venue is set to emerge before 2032, with a proposed stadium in Hobart—featuring a roof—expected to be ready by 2029 as part of Tasmania’s AFL expansion.
With Brisbane’s new stadium in the works, Queensland Cricket and CA now have the clarity needed to plan for a future that ensures world-class cricket continues to thrive in the region. “Today’s decision gives us certainty after many years without clarity. We now stand at the starting line as Queensland prepares to unveil a signature stadium that will be known the world over,” Svenson concluded.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
