‘I’m on a unity ticket with Adam Reynolds’: Suncorp Stadium to get major Olympic upgrade, premier confirms

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Suncorp Stadium will get major upgrades in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with Premier David Crisafulli promising more seats would be built at the “spiritual home of rugby league”.

Upgrades to the 52,500-capacity stadium had been mooted by the current and former state governments.

Fans flood the field at Suncorp Stadium a day after the 2025 NRL and NRLW grand finals before the teams arrived.

Major works were done at Suncorp Stadium in 2011 to repair significant flood damage, but the venue has not been significantly upgraded in 20 years.

“We do need to give that grand, magnificent rugby league stadium – the spiritual home of rugby league– an upgrade,” Crisafulli told Nine on Tuesday.

“Part of that should be increasing the capacity now – it was done for the 2003 World Cup, so that’s a long time ago.”

After the Brisbane Broncos won the 2025 NRL premiership at the ground on Sunday night, team captain Adam Reynolds said during his winner’s speech: “To the premier, build a bigger stadium because we sold [the stadium] out and we’ll sell it out again.”

Crisafulli reiterated during an interview with 4BC on Tuesday that he was on record calling for an upgrade to the stadium months ago, saying it was “a bit tired”.

“I’m on a unity ticket with Adam Reynolds on it,” the premier said.

“But upgrading the stadium wasn’t just about upgrading a sports facility, it would help generate more jobs and grow the state in the lead-up to the Olympics.

“Yes, sporting stadiums are important, they are a way of generating economic opportunity, they are a way of making us feel proud and united, but they’re only one very small part of what we’re achieving and this state is on the cusp of something really, really special at the moment.”

Crisafulli confirmed planning was under way to ensure an expansion wasn’t done in “a ramshackle way”.

An artist’s impression of planned upgrades to Suncorp Stadium under the previous Labor government, showing new screens.

“It’ll be done with proper consideration … if we do it the right way it also becomes an economic asset and helps us attract the kind of events that we need.”

In a statement to this masthead, he said those changes would include a capacity boost and increase to the “quality of the venue”.

“There’s no doubt it needs some love, and isn’t up to where it should be for a growing state.”

Speaking to ABC Radio Brisbane, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner supported an expansion of the stadium, saying it would be a “fantastic thing” due to the venue regularly selling out.

“It’s definitely needed, and when you’re seeing both the Gabba and Suncorp regularly selling out, you know that we need more capacity.

“You want to keep the vibe of Suncorp alive, and I think it can be done,” he said.

Schrinner added that an expansion wouldn’t solely benefit sport but would also be a positive move for concerts.

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