Hindmarsh Stadium set for $3 million worth of upgrades if Australia-New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup bid succeeds
Adelaide United’s home ground will receive significant temporary upgrades should the Australia-New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup bid succeed. But what legacy will the improvements leave at the home of SA soccer?
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Hindmarsh Stadium will receive more than $3 million worth of improvements, including 3500 temporary seats, should the Australia-New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup bid succeed.
But the upgrades, which extend to new hospitality and media facilities, will leave no lasting legacy at the home of SA soccer after it hosts proposed group games and a round-of-16 clash.
Football Federation Australia announced last week it had teamed up with New Zealand Football in a joint push to stage the first 32-nation World Cup.
The bid book submitted to FIFA listed Hindmarsh as one of 13 venues earmarked for an unspecified number of matches during the July 10-August 23 tournament.
A State Government spokesperson said temporary stands, similar to those installed during the Sydney 2000 Olympics, would raise the ground’s seating capacity to 18,435.
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An FFA spokesman said media benches, VIP areas, outdoor hospitality zones, and volunteer and ticketing centres would also be erected at the stadium to meet FIFA standards.
But both confirmed permanent improvements, such as roofs over the ground’s three exposed sides, had not been factored into the $3.2 million upgrades.
Adding to the ground’s two changerooms would also not be required, given double-header fixtures were not planned.
“Hindmarsh stadium provides the opportunity to play the FWWC in a boutique, rectangular venue,” the FFA spokesman said.
“Permanent upgrades were discussed, however the venue footprint is very tight and therefore limits the ability to expand the venue.”
The temporary work would be funded from the overall event budget, backed by “significant financial support” from governments in both countries, according to the bid book.
Only existing stadiums, hotels and transport infrastructure would be used, as the cost-effective approach aimed for no capital spending on new facilities.
While Hindmarsh ranks among the country’s leading soccer-specific grounds, it has shortcomings in extreme heat and wet weather.
But its intimate atmosphere and excellent sightlines are widely preferred to the cavernous 53,500-capacity Adelaide Oval, initially touted as a potential tournament venue.
“Coopers (Hindmarsh) Stadium is South Australia’s purpose built football (soccer) stadium, so this venue was a natural fit,” the government spokesperson said.
“The proposed July/August timing of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the imposed exclusivity period would’ve displaced AFL for a likely minimum of six weeks.
“In the end, the uncertainty and associated costs prohibited the use of Adelaide Oval as an option.”
Hindmarsh would remain the smallest of the eight proposed venues across Australia and the five in New Zealand, even with its temporary expansion.
But the ground, which currently holds 16,432 people including 1500 standing spaces, has the potential to eclipse its record 18,345 crowd, set at the USA-Japan Olympics quarter-final.
Marden Sports Complex, the Croatian Sports Centre, Steve Woodcock Sports Centre, Adelaide City Park and Football SA’s planned Gepps Cross hub were SA’s proposed training sites.
Organisers have targeted a total attendance of 1.5 million, an average of 24,000 per game, across the 64 matches.
Proposed ticket prices range from $7-$43 for group matches, $13-$69 for round of 16 games and $19-$127 for the final at Sydney’s redeveloped Stadium Australia.
The winning bid was expected to be announced in June.