CommBank Stadium ready to welcome fans for Matildas v Brazil
Around 20,000 fans are expected for tonight’s Matildas v Brazil international football friendly at the newly-named CommBank Stadium, marking a significant milestone as Covid restrictions ease.
While the Everest last weekend was the first event to welcome a crowd back in Sydney with 10,000 fans in attendance at Royal Randwick, Saturday’s Matildas game will be the first sports event held in a stadium with a crowd in more than four months.
The NRL round 15 game between the Eels and Bulldogs at Bankwest and a relocated A-League semi final between Melbourne City and Macarthur at Jubilee Stadium on June 20 were the last events played in front of a crowd in the city. Six NRL games followed, however all were played behind closed doors, before the competition travelled north to Queensland.
Initially, a crowd of just 5,000 was permitted to attend the two-game series at the western Sydney stadium, but the NSW government boosted that figure to 22,500, which is 75% of the 30,000-capacity venue.
It’s the first sports event to be played at CommBank Stadium since it was rebranded from Bankwest Stadium on October 1, and the first event since the Bulldogs v Roosters played behind closed doors on July 10, while the last crowd posted at the stadium was 17,276 for the Eels v Bulldogs NRL clash.
It’s also the first time the Matildas have played on home soil since March 2020, and anticipation is high for the series, with the Sydney sporting public quick to snap up tickets. After the original 5000 allocation quickly sold out, the extended allocation has been selling fast.
Limited tickets remain for both games and can be pre-purchased online through Ticketek. Saturday’s game kick-off at 7:45pm while Tuesday’s game 2 will commence at 8:00pm.
All patrons (16+) must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination before entering the Stadium. A digital or printed version of their COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate will be accepted.
View the CommBank Stadium seating map here and for further event details, visit the venue website here.
The boost in attendance also presents the opportunity for the Matildas to break their home attendance record, which currently stands at 20,029 back in November 2019 at the same venue.
How to watch Matildas v Brazil on TV
You can watch the Matildas v Brazil women’s international friendly match live on Channel 10 and 10HD around Australia, and live stream the game on 10play.
Other upcoming sports events in Sydney where spectators will get a chance to return to the action include the Golden Eagle raceday at Rosehill Gardens, four Supercars races back-to-back at Sydney Motorsport Park, the A-League season from November 20 and the NBL season from the first weekend of December, with the Sydney Kings in action at Qudos Bank Arena.
View upcoming sports events in Sydney >
Meanwhile, fans in Melbourne will get their opportunity at the Melbourne Cup carnival commencing next weekend at Flemington Racecourse. Initially, crowds of 10,000 were permitted for the Melbourne Cup, Oaks and Stakes Day’s only, however it was announced today than a crowd of 5,500 will be permitted for the opening day of the carnival – Derby Day on October 30.
