Construction is set to begin on Brisbane’s main Olympic stadium at Victoria Park, marking a major milestone in the city’s preparations for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The proposed 63,000 seat stadium will be delivered as the centrepiece venue for the Games, hosting opening and closing ceremonies as well as athletics events, before transitioning into Brisbane’s primary venue for cricket and AFL following the event.
Early works, including geotechnical investigations and site preparation, are already underway, with full earthworks expected to commence in 2026 as part of the broader delivery timeline.
The project is currently estimated at approximately $3.8 billion, forming a significant component of Queensland’s broader $7.1 billion Olympic venue infrastructure program.
Plans for the stadium were confirmed in 2025 following a state-led infrastructure review, which identified Victoria Park as the preferred location for the city’s main Games venue.
The stadium is being designed by a consortium including Cox Architecture, Hassell and Japan-based Azusa Sekkei, with the team drawing on experience from major Australian venues such as Optus Stadium and Adelaide Oval.
According to project documentation, the venue would feature a large open-air bowl with tiered seating designed to maximise sightlines and spectator experience, alongside a roof structure intended to provide shading suited to Brisbane’s climate.
The broader Victoria Park precinct is also expected to accommodate additional Olympic infrastructure, including the National Aquatic Centre and associated public realm upgrades, positioning the site as a long-term sporting and recreation hub for the inner city.
Following the Games, the stadium would replace the Gabba as Brisbane’s primary venue for major sporting events, with the existing Gabba site slated for redevelopment into a residential precinct.
The project has generated ongoing debate, particularly in relation to the use of Victoria Park, which holds cultural significance and has been the subject of community and heritage concerns.
Despite this, the Queensland Government has indicated the project will proceed, with construction activity expected to accelerate in the lead up to the 2032 Games.
My thoughts are:
– Stairs down to Main St look too narrow for the volume of foot traffic.
– Railing is missing on the Wheelchair ramp.
– Where are the shade trees? This area would be scorching in the height of summer.
– Could be more places to sit, wait and meet friends.
i truly hope those needing accessible seating DO have legitimate and uinimpeded views. So many venues place wheelchairs users in extremely inappropriate locations, as an afterthought right at the back, especially for sporting venues where line of sight is non existent the minute the row of able bodied patrons in front stands up or people can simply just walk and stand in from of the wheelchair viewing area. In 2026 this is completely unacceptable especially in a newly constructed venue. Wheelchair seating platforms should be raised higher so this simply does not occur.
As many venues end up serving a dual purpose for other events such as concerts, please don’t make our disability community a secondary thought when it comes to the patron experience. Would you want to buy tickets and see nothing?