Kingsholm Stadium
Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England
Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester, England — opened 1891 (the ground was purchased by Gloucester Rugby Football Club that year and hosted its first match in October 1891), 1 rugby league games hosted, home of Gloucester Rugby (rugby union), and also currently Gloucester-Hartpury (women's rugby union); for the recorded 2000 rugby league fixture it was used as a neutral World Cup tournament venue, not a rugby league tenancy.
Ground facts
| Opened | 1891 (the ground was purchased by Gloucester Rugby Football Club that year and hosted its first match in October 1891) |
| Home club | Gloucester Rugby (rugby union), and also currently Gloucester-Hartpury (women's rugby union); for the recorded 2000 rugby league fixture it was used as a neutral World Cup tournament venue, not a rugby league tenancy |
| Games hosted (rugby league, on record) | 1 |
| Top recorded crowd | 2,496 (Rugby League — Group B, 29 Oct 2000, 2000 Rugby League World Cup: New Zealand 64-0 Lebanon) |
| Capacity | 16,115 today; the capacity at the time of the 2000 World Cup match is not confirmed and would have reflected a different-era configuration |
| Floodlights installed | Yes; electric floodlights were installed in 1967 at a cost of 4,700 pounds, first used for a match against an invitational side that year |
| Surface | Natural grass at the time of the 2000 match; an artificial hybrid pitch was installed ahead of the 2021-22 season |
| Years used | 2000 |
| Location | Gloucester, Gloucestershire |
Name history
- Kingsholm (Kingsholm Stadium) — 1891-present, the standard name throughout its history
- Castle Grim — a nickname, after the historic estate the ground occupies
Rugby league history
Kingsholm Stadium is the historic home of Gloucester Rugby, one of English rugby union's most famous grounds, dating to 1891. On 29 October 2000 it hosted a Group 2 fixture of the 2000 Rugby League World Cup between New Zealand and Lebanon, won 64-0 by New Zealand in front of 2,496 fans -- the venue's only recorded rugby league fixture. The match briefly turned a rugby union stronghold into a World Cup venue, and featured players including Henry Paul and Lesley Vainikolo, both of whom later became prominent rugby-union code-swap signings for Gloucester Rugby at this same ground.
Notable games played here
| Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Group B, 29 Oct 2000 | 2000 Rugby League World Cup | New Zealand 64-0 Lebanon |
Only matches we have full, sourced records for are listed here — other historic games mentioned above may not have a dedicated match page built yet (World Cup coverage in particular is still expanding tournament by tournament).
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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