Brisbane Mayor backs RNA Showgrounds during Gabba rebuild
With the Gabba set to be bulldozed in 2026, the Brisbane RNA Showgrounds remain as a contender to host AFL and cricket.
The Courier Mail has reported Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner strongly believes the teams “need to play in Brisbane”, backing a push to transform the RNA Showgrounds into a stadium suitable to host AFL and cricket.
The Gabba will be completely demolished and rebuilt as a 50,000-seat stadium ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, with work expected to begin following the Ashes Test Match in late 2025.
The Brisbane Lions have previously announced they’re eyeing three potential options to host matches during the rebuild: Brighton Homes Arena at Springfield, the Queensland Sport and Athletic Centre (QSAC) at Nathan, Heritage Bank Stadium on the Gold Coast, and the Brisbane RNA Showgrounds, while Queensland Cricket has flagged Allan Border Field as a possibility, however that venue currently only holds 4,000.
The Brisbane Times revealed in April that the Queensland government had commissioned detailed designs to convert QSAC into an AFL stadium with seating for 34,846 spectators.
Located 8.5km south-east of the Gabba, the home of the 1982 Commonwealth Games would have its temporary stands at the southern end removed, two video screens and almost 20,000 seats repurposed from the Gabba, and new food and beverage outlets introduced.
Athletics would be temporarily shifted to QSAC’s adjacent track, while some seating at the front of the eastern stand would be removed to accommodate the AFL field, which would be the narrowest in the AFL, at just 165m long and 115m wide.
The Lions’ new headquarters at Springfield has a capacity of just 10,000, meaning temporary seating would need to be introduced to make it viable for home games. It would be a big move location wise, with Springfield some 26km south-west of the CBD.
However, Mr Schrinner said he was a strong believer that the Brisbane Lions and the Brisbane Heat “need to play in Brisbane”.
The RNA first put its hand up to host professional cricket and AFL matches at the Brisbane Showgrounds during the Gabba rebuild back in August 2021.
“That’s what tens of thousands of football and cricket fans want to see happen while the Gabba is being redeveloped, so that’s what should be delivered,” Schrinner said.
“From the options on the table, clearly the upgrade of the RNA’s historic arena is a no-brainer.”
The Brisbane Showgrounds will host the equestrian events for the 2032 Olympics, meaning significant improvements are already required for the venue.
The venue currently has a maximum seating capacity of 20,000 with additional standing room for 5,000. It’ll also soon have a full-time Cross River Rail station, plus two Brisbane Metro stations at Herston and the RBWH.
“This is an enormous opportunity to make the RNA arena a real asset for our region that residents and visitors can easily travel to for sport and live music as well as their annual pilgrimage to the Ekka,” Mr Schrinner said.
The historic venue could serve Brisbane for years to come as a much-needed boutique stadium if it is upgraded, however it remains to be seen which venue(s) the Lions and Heat will commit to.
