GIO Stadium

GIO Stadium (formerly Canberra Stadium) is a 25,000-capacity rectangular stadium in Australia’s capital city. The venue was originally known as the National Athletics Stadium when it opened in 1977 for the Pacific Conference Games and featured a main 8,000-seat grandstand and a 400m 8-lane synthetic running track. It underwent its first redevelopment in readiness for the 1985 World Cup Athletics when the seating capacity was increased to 11,500 with the addition of seating on the east side.

The stadium was upgraded in 1990 and the running track was removed. That same year, the Canberra Raiders moved their home games to the newly named Bruce Stadium. It played host to a range of sports including Australian Football.

GIO Stadium received another major redevelopment in 1997 in preparation for preliminary football games for the Sydney 2000 Olympics. The playing surface was lowered, a new inner-bowl of seating was constructed and facilities were upgraded, increasing the stadium’s capacity to 25,000 (all-seated) and making it suitable for rectangular sports only. Around this time the venue also changed its name to Canberra Stadium.

The Canberra Raiders (NRL) and ACT Brumbies (Super Rugby) call the stadium home. Previously it was also the home of the Canberra Cosmos (NSL) before they exited the league in 2001. The venue hosted matches during the 2015 Asian Cup. Other facilities include 46 luxury suites which can host up to 550 people, 220 disabled viewing spaces, audio loop for hearing impaired, 2 lounges that can accommodate 400 and 200 people, 60 open boxes with seating for at least 8 people and a permanent video screen.

As of 1st January, 2014, Canberra Stadium became GIO Stadium following a naming rights agreement signed in October 2013.