Brisbane’s big sporting venues look like a scattered list on a map, and each has a distinct history. This guide explains what each major venue is, where it came from and what it is built for. It does not cover fixtures or tickets, which change constantly and belong on the venues’ own pages.
Who runs the venues
Stadiums Queensland is a statutory body that manages, develops, operates and promotes the use of the state’s major sport, entertainment and recreation facilities. It owns nine venues across Queensland. Suncorp Stadium describes itself as a Stadiums Queensland venue, and the Stadiums Queensland venue list also includes The Gabba, QSAC, the Queensland Tennis Centre and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Capacity figures in this guide are stated as published by each venue on 9 November 2026, because they can change with refurbishments and event layouts.
Suncorp Stadium: from cemetery to cauldron
Suncorp Stadium describes its capacity as over 52,500 seats, according to the venue. Its story starts well before football. The site was originally burial ground, and burials mostly stopped once the Toowong cemetery opened in 1875. In 1914 the former burial grounds were gazetted as Lang Park, named after the Reverend John Dunmore Lang. The stadium keeps a memory of that past in its public art, including a work called Veil, conceived as a memorial to those buried on the site in the 19th century.
The sporting identity came later. Lang Park became the headquarters of Queensland Rugby League in 1957, and Arthur Beetson led Queensland out for the first State of Origin game in 1980. The ground was renamed Suncorp-Metway Stadium in 1994. A $280 million redevelopment was announced in 1999 and the rebuilt stadium opened in 2003, going on to host nine games of the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Floods have shaped it as well. Repairs after the 2011 floods cost $16 million, and the stadium was inundated again in 2022. In 2019 all 16 NRL teams played over a single Magic Round weekend there, and its attendance record of 53,272 was set at an Ed Sheeran concert in 2018. Suncorp Stadium lists four anchor tenants, the Brisbane Broncos, Brisbane Roar FC, the Dolphins and the Queensland Reds.
The Gabba
The Gabba in Woolloongabba was first established in 1895. It is the home ground of the Brisbane Lions, Brisbane Heat and Queensland Bulls. Its list of past events reaches well beyond cricket, taking in AFL, baseball, rugby league, rugby union, Olympic soccer and concerts.
The venue gives its official capacity as 42,000, noting that it can vary with event overlays. It is owned and operated by Stadiums Queensland. The venue’s own site says cricket fans and players regard it as having one of the best cricket wickets in the world, which is a claim worth reading as the venue’s own description rather than an independent ranking. Future plans for the site are not covered here, because this guide only uses sourced, dated facts.
Indoor arenas and other grounds
The Brisbane Entertainment Centre opened on 20 February 1986 with a performance by ice dancers Torvill and Dean. Brisbane City Council built it, and it formed part of Brisbane’s bid for the 1992 Olympic Games. Ownership passed to Stadiums Queensland on 1 July 2002. Fans of television trivia may like that it was home to the original Gladiators series, and basketball fans can find a bronze statue honouring Leroy Loggins there. Beyond the main arena it has an Indoor Sports Hall for community participation.
The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, known as QSAC, suits a different crowd. Its main stadium can accommodate up to 48,500 spectators and has a ten-lane Rekortan athletics track. Next door, Nissan Arena has 5,000 seats and is the home of Netball Queensland and the Queensland Firebirds.
Tennis fans have the Queensland Tennis Centre at Tennyson, operated by Tennis Queensland. Its Pat Rafter Arena seats 5,500 spectators, and the centre describes itself as the first facility in Australia to offer all three Grand Slam surfaces.
Reading venue information sensibly
The figures above are the venues’ own statements at 9 November 2026. Tenant lists and capacities are the facts most likely to change, so check the venue’s page before relying on them. Plans for the Brisbane 2032 Games are left out of this guide for the same reason.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Suncorp Stadium and the Gabba?
Suncorp Stadium describes itself as a Stadiums Queensland venue, and the Gabba is described as owned and operated by Stadiums Queensland.
How many people does Suncorp Stadium seat?
The venue describes its capacity as over 52,500 seats (at 9 November 2026).
When was the Gabba established?
The venue says it was first established in 1895.
Where did the name Lang Park come from?
It was gazetted in 1914 and named after the Reverend John Dunmore Lang.
