DCBL Stadium
Widnes, Cheshire, England
DCBL Stadium, Widnes, England — opened 1997 (current structure); the site has hosted rugby since 1895, 2,331 rugby league games hosted, home of Widnes Vikings.
Ground facts
| Opened | 1997 (current structure); the site has hosted rugby since 1895 |
| Home club | Widnes Vikings |
| Games hosted (rugby league, on record) | 2,331 |
| Top recorded crowd | 17,323 |
| Capacity | 13,350 (all-seated) |
| Test matches hosted | 1 |
| Surface | 3G artificial (installed end of 2011 season, relaid with the same surface type in October 2018; current 2026 status not independently confirmed) |
| First rugby league match | First game at the original Naughton Park site (then Lowerhouse Lane), v Liversedge, 12 October 1895 (score not identified in sources found) |
| Years used | 1895–2026 |
| Location | Widnes, Cheshire |
Name history
- Naughton Park — 1895-1996, original ground on this site
- Halton Stadium — 1997-1999, current rebuilt structure
- AutoQuest Stadium — 1999-2001
- Stobart Stadium Halton — 2007-2013
- Select Security Stadium — 2013-2019
- DCBL Stadium — since 2019
Rugby league history
On the original Naughton Park ground, Widnes famously beat Australia 11-10 in a 1978 Test match — reportedly the last time a British club/county side beat Australia in any match. The rebuilt stadium (reopened 1997) has hosted three Challenge Cup semi-finals, and temporarily housed St Helens for the entire 2011 season while their own new ground was being built. Became the first English rugby ground to install a full 3G artificial pitch, in 2011.
Historic Test matches, Cup & Grand Finals hosted
- 15 January 1978 — Widnes 11-10 Australia, attendance 12,202 (reportedly the last time a British club or county side beat Australia in any match)
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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