Wellington stadium revamp complete ahead of FIFA World Cup

Sky Stadium, Wellington.
Photo: Supplied

A $4 million revamp of Wellington’s regional stadium has been completed ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup next month.

The upgrades included a full pitch replacement, upgraded tower and bowl rim, LED lighting and gender-neutral changing facilities.

Forty new entry turnstiles, enabling quicker venue entry, have also been installed.

Following February’s Ed Sheeran concert, stadium ground staff and contractors replaced 10,000 square metres of turf.

The project involved 12 months of planning and took 14 days to complete.

The work on the stadium was completed in 14 days.
Photo: Supplied

Tournament lighting standards meant that upgrades to the existing floodlighting system were required.

A total of 392 metal halide bulbs were replaced with 404 LED light fittings.

The new LED lighting system will provide better illumination and uniformity, improve floodlighting efficiency and deliver energy savings of 23 percent, according to Wellington Regional Stadium chief executive Shane Harmon.

The changing rooms which have generally catered to male sports teams have been upgraded, with communal showers replaced with individual cubicles.

Changing rooms have also been repainted and refloored.

10,000 square metres of turf was replaced at Wellington Regional Stadium.
Photo: Supplied

“These upgrades will ensure that the stadium is ready to host the world’s best female footballers, while leaving a lasting legacy for our region,” said Harmon.

The stadium will host nine matches during the tournament, including seven group matches, a round of 16 match and a quarterfinal match.

The upgrades are part of a $19 million investment by the government to upgrade sporting facilities across the country ahead of the tournament.

Twenty-nine other other venues are also getting upgrades including Eden Park, FMG Stadium Waikato and Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium, as well as training venues around the country.

More than 30,000 visitors are expected for the tournament in Aotearoa and it is estimated it will generate $200 million in economic activity.

The Football Ferns will kick off the tournament when they play Norway in Auckland on 20 July.

-RNZ