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Stadium · Dunedin, New Zealand

Forsyth Barr Stadium

  • Capacity 30,748
  • Opened 2011
  • Grass
Forsyth Barr Stadium in figures
Capacity30,748
CityDunedin
CountryNew Zealand
Opened2011
SurfaceGrass
Home teamsHighlanders
CompetitionsSuper Rugby

Forsyth Barr Stadium holds 30,748 and is the Highlanders’ home ground in Dunedin. It is the only fully roofed stadium in the world with a natural grass pitch.

Forsyth Barr Stadium capacity

Capacity is 30,748. The permanent ETFE roof lets enough light through to keep grass alive underneath, which is what makes the design unusual rather than merely covered.

Why the roof matters

Dunedin sits at the bottom of the South Island and gets weather to match. The roof removed rain and wind from the equation entirely, and the Highlanders’ game here is noticeably quicker and drier than anything played outdoors in the same month.

Who plays here

The Highlanders use it for Super Rugby Pacific, and Otago play NPC rugby here. It replaced Carisbrook, the ground known as the House of Pain, in 2011.

Last updated 23 August 2026

Written by

Former Georgian U20 rugby player turned rugby journalist — founder of WeTalkRugby and the GG Rugby YouTube channel.

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