Samoa Government looks to develop new national stadium

Following its successful recent hosting of the 2019 Pacific Games, the Government of Samoa is to move forward with plans to build a new national stadium for its national rugby teams.

Built in 1924 and renovated four years ago ahead of the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in Apia, Samoa’s Apia Park has been criticised for its playing surface in recent years.

Home of the Pacific island nation’s rugby union and rugby league teams, the 12,000 capacity venue has staged not only events at the recent Pacific Games, but also staged Samoa’s Pacific Nations Cup victory over Tonga last Saturday.

However, last weekend’s game was nearly called off after the pitch suffered damage caused by the Pacific Games events and torrential rain in the city.

Loau Keneti Sio, Samoa’s Minister for Sport, has stressed the need for a new stadium away from the Apia Park site, which he has described as a “swampy area”.

Speaking to Radio New Zealand, he advised “we are planning to move down to where the other sports facilities are at Tuanaimato and hopefully we can build a big stadium there for rugby alone and leave Apia Park.

“Actually, the area is just a swampy area, so we can’t just fix it when we come into bad weather but yes of course we are concerned with it and we are having planning so that we can push through the cabinet where we can move down to Tuanaimato going forward.”

With plans to have the new venue built by 2022, Minister Sio suggested that Samoa would ask New Zealand for funding help.

Image: Samoa's Apia Park.