End of an Era: The Gabba to Be Demolished Post-2032 Olympics

The Gabba stadium, more commonly known and also called the Brisbane Cricket Ground, will be abandoned in favor of a new cricket field after the 2032 Olympics, it was announced on Tuesday by Queensland premier David Crisafulli.

Crisafulli unveiled plans for a 63,000-seat new stadium costing $3.8 billion in Brisbane's Victoria Park as part of preparation for the main stadium and the other venues of the upcoming 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be hosted in Australia.

It is worth noting that in Cricket Australia's seven-year international venues strategy unveiled in 2024, the Gabba was only obligated to stage international cricket until next summer's men's Ashes series. There was doubt about whether the historic ground would be rebuilt or replaced.

"The Gabba has been a great venue for cricket for decades, creating many special moments for players and fans.". But problems that it encounters are well-documented, and we must look to the future. This gives Queensland the opportunity to host top-level cricket tournaments, such as ICC events, men's and women's Ashes Series, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between Australia and India, and host the BBL and WBBL in a specialist new stadium for these competitions. 

The announcement today provides us with the assurance that we have been waiting for. We are now ready to open a world-class stadium that will be renowned throughout the world," said Queensland Cricket Chief Executive Officer Terry Svenson.

Cricket Australia also welcomed the decision on Tuesday, saying: "This announcement gives us certainty around venues and scheduling, enabling us to guarantee Brisbane the best international and domestic cricket possible.". We were strongly supportive of the development of a stadium in Victoria Park in partnership with Queensland Cricket, the AFL, and the Brisbane Lions, and cricket will feature prominently in ensuring that this long-term investment is for the benefit of cricket lovers and Queenslanders.