North Harbour Stadium
Encyclopedia
North Harbour Stadium is a stadium
, situated in Albany
, in North Shore City
, in New Zealand
. It was opened in 1997, after nearly a decade of discussion, planning and construction. Rugby union
, football and rugby League
are the only sports played on the main ground, as it is rectangular in shape. The neighbouring oval plays host to the region's major cricket
matches. The stadium also hosts large open air concerts.
side in the ITM Cup. It typically hosts one Auckland Blues home game in the Super 14
annually. It has played host to several rugby union and rugby league internationals. The New Zealand Warriors
NRL
team often play warm-up matches at the ground.
It was the home ground for The New Zealand Knights, the one New Zealand soccer team in the otherwise all-Australian Hyundai A-League
, from 2005 until their licence was revoked by the league at the completion of the 2006/2007 season.
It played host to the FIFA Under-17 Women's Football World Cup in 2008.
Radio Control Car Racing is occasionally held in a racetrack next to one of the carparks.
The stadium is lit by four 45m light towers.
won the Rugby World Cup 2011 hosting rights in 2005, prompting a debate a year later in late-2006 as to which stadium should be used to host the final. North Harbour Stadium was a contender, but Eden Park
and Stadium New Zealand
were considered by most to be the two main options with North Harbour as an outsider. Eventually, the New Zealand government decided that Eden Park
would host the final, with North Harbour as the official reserve option.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
, situated in Albany
Albany, New Zealand
Albany is a northern suburb of Auckland, one of the several cities in northern New Zealand. The name derives from Alba and its Latinisation. It is located to the north of the Waitemata Harbour, 15 kilometres northwest of the Auckland city centre. The suburb is in the Albany ward, one of the...
, in North Shore City
North Shore, New Zealand
North Shore City was the name of a city that existed in the Auckland region of New Zealand from 1989 until 2010. The city had a population of making it the fourth most populous city in New Zealand prior to November 2010...
, in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It was opened in 1997, after nearly a decade of discussion, planning and construction. Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, football and rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
are the only sports played on the main ground, as it is rectangular in shape. The neighbouring oval plays host to the region's major cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
matches. The stadium also hosts large open air concerts.
Notable events
It is the home ground for the North HarbourNorth Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
side in the ITM Cup. It typically hosts one Auckland Blues home game in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
annually. It has played host to several rugby union and rugby league internationals. The New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
team often play warm-up matches at the ground.
It was the home ground for The New Zealand Knights, the one New Zealand soccer team in the otherwise all-Australian Hyundai A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
, from 2005 until their licence was revoked by the league at the completion of the 2006/2007 season.
It played host to the FIFA Under-17 Women's Football World Cup in 2008.
Radio Control Car Racing is occasionally held in a racetrack next to one of the carparks.
Layout
It has an official capacity of 25,000, for sporting events. The stadium has four seating areas – the main grandstand, on the southern side, which seats 12,000 and contains corporate facilities; an uncovered stand opposite which seats 7,000; and grass embankments at either end which each seat 3,000.The stadium is lit by four 45m light towers.
Rugby World Cup 2011
New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
won the Rugby World Cup 2011 hosting rights in 2005, prompting a debate a year later in late-2006 as to which stadium should be used to host the final. North Harbour Stadium was a contender, but Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
and Stadium New Zealand
Stadium New Zealand
Stadium New Zealand, often called the Waterfront Stadium, was the provisional name for a national stadium proposed for Auckland's waterfront to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The stadium never advanced beyond a concept design....
were considered by most to be the two main options with North Harbour as an outsider. Eventually, the New Zealand government decided that Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
would host the final, with North Harbour as the official reserve option.