Ballymore redevelopment moves forward with historic venue to be the new home of Brisbane Roar A-League Women

Currently being redeveloped ahead of the 2032 Olympics, with the first stage of its rebuilding set to be completed in May, Brisbane's historic Ballymore stadium will be the new home for the Brisbane Roar’s A-League Women as of season 2023/24.

Announcing the hosting this week, venue owner the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) proclaimed tha the venue will be “the new home of women’s sport” in Brisbane four women’s sports (rugby union, hockey, sport climbing and football) set to use the facility in the next decade leading into the Olympic Games.

Upon completion in May this year by the QRU’s leading contractors Buildcorp, the National Rugby Training Centre (NRTC) - incorporating a new 3000-seat stadium, gym, aquatics centre, auditorium and function room - will be the first stage finished of the revamp of the Herston site as part of the Ballymore Master Plan.

Welcoming the Roar womens team, QRU Chief Executive, David Hanham advised “this is an exciting day for the future of Ballymore with two great Queensland sporting organisations coming together.

“Having the Brisbane Roar A-League Women’s side here for every home match is a big milestone that ensures Ballymore becomes the new home of women’s rectangular sport.

“Our vision for Ballymore is for the iconic venue to be a multi-sport hub and Olympic precinct for the Brisbane 2032 Games as Brisbane’s Silicon Valley of Sport with the facility set to host a golden runway of major events in the next decade.

“Stage 1 of Ballymore’s redevelopment will be realised in a little over a month with the completion of the National Rugby Training Centre that will house the national women’s XV’s program - the Wallaroos, plus the Queensland Reds Super Rugby, Super W and Sevens squads, as well as the Reds Academy and elite pathway programs.

“Ballymore’s master plan will also see the facility become a centrepiece for the community with green spaces and bike paths, while a festival-type atmosphere will return to the venue on game-day with food trucks, music and activations around the precinct which the Roar will get to experience later this year.”

In addition to their womens team moving to Ballymore, Brisbane Roar are also reported to looking to stage A-League Men games scheduled back at the venue.

Since their deal to play home games at Suncorp Stadium ended in 2020, the club has played at the Moreton Daily Stadium in Redcliffe. However, the club's crowd figures have fallen at the out-of-town venue.

Roar Chairman Chris Fong said Ballymore could eventually host all men's fixtures too, hosing down suggestions of friction between the organisations, adding “it's a game-changer, something Brisbane's needed for a long time, and here we are.

"We're a Brisbane team, we need to play in Brisbane.

"We've been in existence for 18 years now in Brisbane and have always wanted a boutique, rectangular stadium that wasn't the size of Suncorp."

The Ballymore site has been flagged as the Games venue for hockey and a centre of excellence for the Olympic sports of climbing and bouldering while the fully developed facility will have multiple public transport options close-by, including an internal stadium bus terminal.

While set to host hockey during the Olympics, Hockey Australia is the latest sport to call for a permanent standalone venue in Brisbane.

Despite the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council wanting to minimise venue development costs, Hockey Australia has called for the 2023 Games to provide a "lasting legacy".

In an April statement, Hockey Australia said there was no facility in Brisbane which met international standards.

Swimming Australia has also called permanent standalone aquatic facility for the city as a Games legacy.

Images show concepts for the completed Ballymore Master Plan.