Rotorua International Stadium
Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua, New Zealand — opened This site's own directory records rugby league use from 1909; general references give a later 1911 stadium construction date, 22 rugby league games hosted, home of Not a single permanent rugby league club — used for Rotorua and Bay of Plenty representative fixtures and internationals; also the traditional home of Bay of Plenty rugby union.
Sourcing caveat: The 1909 first-use date (per this site's own records) predates a general '1911 built' date found in other references; this is not resolved and is stated as an open discrepancy rather than guessed at.
Ground facts
| Opened | This site's own directory records rugby league use from 1909; general references give a later 1911 stadium construction date (Most likely reflects informal use of the ground before its formal 1911 stadium construction, similar to a pattern seen at other older grounds in this directory; not resolved with certainty.) |
| Home club | Not a single permanent rugby league club — used for Rotorua and Bay of Plenty representative fixtures and internationals; also the traditional home of Bay of Plenty rugby union |
| Games hosted (rugby league, on record) | 22 |
| Top recorded crowd | 26,000 |
| Capacity | 26,000 for rugby (up to 30,000 for concerts), including a covered stand seating around 4,000-5,000 |
| Test matches hosted | 2 |
| First rugby league match | 2 Oct 1909 — Rotorua 33-8 Auckland B, Inter-District fixture, per this site's own match records |
| Years used | 1909–2023 |
| Location | Rotorua, Bay of Plenty |
Name history
- Rotorua International Stadium — no renaming found
Rugby league history
A major Bay of Plenty venue hosting rugby league internationals across more than a century, including a 1962 Great Britain Lions tour match against Bay of Plenty and a 2023 NRL All Stars fixture (Maori All Stars v Indigenous All Stars, attendance 17,644, the highest since 2003). Also a significant rugby union venue, hosting a 1987 Rugby World Cup third-place playoff, British & Irish Lions tour matches, and three 2011 Rugby World Cup matches.
Primarily rugby union (Bay of Plenty NPC team); also softball (a dedicated field at the northern end of the ground) and concerts.
Historic Test matches, Cup & Grand Finals hosted
- 16 Jul 1989 — New Zealand 8-0 Australia, attendance 26,000, a sellout and this venue's largest recorded rugby league crowd
- 30 Oct 2010 — New Zealand 76-12 Papua New Guinea, Four Nations, attendance 11,500
Pre-dates the site's structured match-by-match records for these competitions, so listed here as sourced facts rather than linked match pages.
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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