Home › Perth Stadium
Last checked 2026-10-11 · Source dates below
Begin the New Zealand series beside the Swan River. Perth Stadium combines a modern three-tier bowl with trains at the ground, a bridge walk from East Perth and spare days in Fremantle or on Rottnest Island.
Perth Stadium at a glance
| Test | Dates | First ball / gates |
|---|---|---|
| Australia v New Zealand | 9–13 December 2026 | 10:20 / TBCUK: 02:20 Wed 9 Dec |
Australia play New Zealand at Perth Stadium from Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 December 2026. First ball is scheduled for 10:20 local time. Perth opens the four-Test series before Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, so it works both as a first Australian cricket holiday and as the starting point for a longer trip following the teams.
The venue is also called Optus Stadium. Keep both names with your booking details: Cricket Australia uses Perth Stadium, while much of the transport and visitor information uses its sponsored name. It is the large modern ground at Burswood, across the Swan River from East Perth. Check that your hotel directions lead to this stadium when planning the first morning.
Come early enough to see the bowl before settling into your row. The continuous tiers and broad playing area give this Test a different setting from an English county ground. Allow time to find the concourse facilities, especially if you have booked several days and want a familiar water point and meeting place for the rest of the week.
| Day | What you’re likely to see | Chance match is already over | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · Wed | Opening toss and first innings | None before play begins | Start of the series |
| Day 2 · Thu | Follow the opening innings | Possible, though early | Consecutive cricket days |
| Day 3 · Fri | Middle passage of the match | Possible | A shorter Perth visit |
| Day 4 · Sat | Possible chase or finish | Greater than early days | A flexible weekend |
| Day 5 · Sun | Closing passage or no further play | Highest of these choices | Visitors with another outing ready |
Wednesday is the choice for the opening toss and the beginning of the series. Thursday lets you follow the first innings with a little more context; two consecutive days give a visiting supporter time to watch a contest develop. Build your arrival around those dates if the early cricket matters most, leaving a recovery day after the flight.
Friday can suit a shorter cricket-and-city stay, with the weekend left for another match day or an outing. Saturday and Sunday may bring the decisive passage, but later days depend on how long the match lasts. Keep a city plan ready and choose flexible arrangements when a fifth-day ticket is your only cricket booking.
Perth makes it tempting to put a beach, a ferry and dinner into every spare hour. After a full day in a warm stadium, a quieter evening can be the better choice. Spread ambitious outings across the stay and agree in advance which match days everyone wants to attend; companions with different interests can meet again after stumps.
Sources: [1]
Check available tickets.
Open the Perth Test on Cricket Australia and follow Ticketmaster.
Compare bay, tier, row and roof coverage.
Arrange accessible seats and companions together.
Save the account, confirmation and match conditions.
| Test day | Adult (A$) | Under-16 / junior (A$) | Buying route |
|---|---|---|---|
| All days | TBC | TBC | Official Ticketmaster seat map |
Prices in Australian dollars.
Follow Cricket Australia’s Perth match listing to Ticketmaster for public tickets. Select the individual day before comparing the available bays and price categories. A Perth booking deserves a close look at the complete seat description: tier, bay and row are more useful than a broad category name when you are deciding between a close boundary view and a higher position.
Put everyone who needs to sit together into the same purchase, and arrange accessible seating and companions before committing to a separate group booking. Save the confirmation and make sure the person carrying the tickets can open the account on the phone they will use in Australia. A working login is worth sorting out before leaving home.
For a multi-day visit, compare each day’s available position instead of assuming the same seat will be offered throughout. You may prefer consistency for a family group, or choose two heights to experience the stadium differently. Read the full checkout total and the conditions attached to the selected product before paying.
The three-tier bowl gives Perth a clear choice between proximity and overview. Lower seating brings the boundary and nearby fielders closer; higher seating helps you read the field and follow changes in its shape. The stadium hosts football, cricket, rugby and concerts, so use the cricket event map when judging where the pitch and sight screens sit.
The lightweight roof shelters much of the seating: the design team describes coverage of 85 per cent of seats. Coverage at your particular row still matters. A seat beneath the roof can receive angled sunlight, while front rows are more open. If shade is a priority, ask about the exact bay and row before choosing a ticket.
The seating areas below use compass positions around the bowl. They help you compare views with the official numbered bays without inventing stand names. Southern seating faces towards the northern sky; eastern seating can face the later western sun. Western seats generally put the later sun behind them, with the roof and tier shaping the shade at each position.
Keep the walking route in mind as well as the view. A high seat means a different journey from concourse to row than a lower one, and the nearest entrance depends on your ticket. If steps are difficult, use the accessible booking route and explain that clearly even if you do not use a wheelchair.
For a first visit to this large bowl, decide whether you most enjoy watching the delivery or following the field. An end-on position helps with the line of the bowling; a side-on seat makes the movement between wickets easier to follow. Compare the cricket pitch on the ticket map with the available bay, then look at the tier. A higher seat can be an excellent way to understand the whole match, but check the steps and the route before making that your choice for several days.
Compare the numbered bays and tier on the cricket event map.
Choose between proximity in the lower bowl and the broader higher-level view.
Consider roof depth and row when choosing a position facing the northern sky.
The river side of the bowl; compare the cricket sight line and tier.
Pack a hat, sunscreen and light clothing for December cricket, with a light layer for the journey home. Take a bottle that meets the current entry rules and find drinking water after arriving. Put the things you will use repeatedly within reach so you can settle in for a session without unpacking everything across neighbouring seats.
The stadium’s general bag limit is 30 by 40 centimetres, and cricket-specific conditions also apply. Alcohol cannot be brought in. Umbrellas may be carried but cannot be opened in a way that interferes with spectators. Read the event conditions before packing food, medication or equipment that might need a separate discussion with the venue.
For friends sitting in different bays, choose a named gate or concourse feature as the meeting point. The bowl is large enough for a vague instruction such as “outside the stand” to cause confusion. Leave a little time around the intervals for queues, and keep the seat details with anyone who might return independently.
Sources: [6]
Perth Stadium station serves the ground. Use Transperth’s event planner for the exact Test date and your starting station; the service pattern changes between weekdays and weekends. The first three scheduled days fall on weekdays, so do not build the whole trip around a weekend stadium service you have seen advertised for another sport.
From central Perth, check the Armadale or Thornlie–Cockburn line journey shown for your date. Transperth also lists the Red CAT to Matagarup Bridge as a city approach. Keep the return route beside the outward plan so a full day’s cricket does not end with the whole group trying to choose an interchange in the station crowd.
From East Perth, the Matagarup Bridge carries pedestrians and cyclists across the Swan River to Stadium Park. It is an enjoyable way to approach the ground if the walk suits your party. Allow for the outdoor distance, warm weather and the onward route around the stadium to the entrance printed on your ticket.
For a taxi or car arrival, agree the permitted set-down point before leaving the hotel. Stadium event traffic arrangements affect where a driver can stop. Visitors who need accessible parking or an accessible drop-off should use the venue’s ACROD process separately; a general taxi destination is not enough to arrange those facilities.
Qantas advertises a direct London Heathrow–Perth flight taking approximately 16 hours 55 minutes. Its current network notice says the opposite direction, Perth–London, operates via Singapore. Compare both directions of your chosen itinerary carefully: the outward and return journeys can have different stops. Leave room after arrival to sleep, adjust your clock and find the route to the stadium.
Eligible British Citizen passport holders can apply for an Electronic Travel Authority, subclass 601, through the official Australian ETA app. Check the Home Affairs page for passport eligibility and application requirements; other British passport categories should check their own route. Entry information checked 12 October 2026. Keep the passport used for the application with your travel documents.
Perth uses Australian Western Standard Time, UTC+8, throughout the year and does not change its clocks for daylight saving. During this December Test it is eight hours ahead of the UK. Use local zones in your calendar, especially if you continue to Adelaide or the eastern cities.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Perth Metro December averages give a mean maximum of 29.6°C and mean rainfall of 9.6 mm. Plan your luggage and outdoor journeys for summer heat, then use the current forecast during the stay. Choose travel insurance covering your circumstances and any activities booked away from the cricket.
The CBD suits a first Perth visit when the cricket shares the itinerary with city sights and dinners. Compare the actual hotel-to-station walk, especially if you intend to catch several morning trains. A central address can also make it easier for non-cricket companions to organise their own day and meet you again in the evening.
East Perth suits visitors who like the idea of approaching the stadium on foot over Matagarup Bridge. Check the full route from the property to your gate, including the return after a long day. A riverside neighbourhood name covers a sizeable area; measure the journey from the address you are considering.
Burswood, including the Crown resort area, keeps you on the stadium side of the river. Compare rooms and dining options with the route through the precinct, and ask about the most suitable arrival if walking distances matter. Being in Burswood does not by itself settle the final journey to your particular gate.
For central sights and a train journey to the ground.
Check Perth CBD →We may earn a commission if you book through this link.
For the Matagarup Bridge walking approach; compare the exact address.
Check East Perth →We may earn a commission if you book through this link.
For the stadium side of the river and the Crown resort area.
Check Burswood →We may earn a commission if you book through this link.
For several Test days, a room with space to dry clothes and organise the next morning can be more useful than moving between hotels. Match your check-in date to the Australian arrival date after the overnight flight. Keep the last night flexible if you are deciding between a final cricket day and an onward flight.
Northbridge is a useful direction after cricket if your group wants dinner and a choice of bars. It sits close to the central city, with the Perth Cultural Centre nearby for a different part of the stay. Agree the restaurant address before leaving the ground and allow enough time for the stadium departure before making a reservation.
Elizabeth Quay offers a waterfront evening and an easy place to continue a city walk. Choose it when the party wants dinner followed by time beside the river. Keep plans loose after a hot Test day: a simple meal near the hotel may suit everyone better than another long journey across Perth.
Rottnest Island, also known as Wadjemup, deserves its own day. Ferries depart from Perth, Fremantle and Hillarys, so select the departure point to fit your hotel and the time you want on the island. Book the return crossing alongside the outward one, then decide how much walking, cycling or bus travel suits your party.
Fremantle makes a separate day of port-city streets, food and waterfront time. It can also be the starting point for an island ferry, but combining both into one hurried outing leaves little room to enjoy either. A spare day before or after the Test gives the trip a different rhythm from another stadium session.
If the cricket finishes early, you can use the extra time to explore Perth without immediately changing hotels. Keep the city waterfront as an uncomplicated option, and book longer trips when you know how they fit the match. That approach is particularly useful for people attending only the later scheduled days.
Cricket Australia lists premium experiences and official travel packages for selected fixtures. For Perth, read the particular package description alongside the public seat map. Check the match day, viewing position, meal arrangements and which spaces your party can enter; a package name alone does not explain the whole cricket day.
If someone needs step-free access, ask about the dining room and the viewing seat together. The route between them matters over several sessions. Keep the package confirmation with the cricket ticket and the hotel booking so the organiser can find the relevant terms without searching through every email during the trip.
Australia play New Zealand from 9–13 December 2026, with first ball scheduled for 10:20 AWST.
Opening-day first ball is UK: 02:20 Wed 9 Dec. Perth is eight hours ahead during this December fixture and does not use daylight saving.
Yes. Cricket Australia uses Perth Stadium; the venue and much of the visitor information use Optus Stadium.
Ticketmaster is Cricket Australia’s official public-ticket partner for Perth Stadium. Start from the Cricket Australia match listing.
Perth Stadium station serves the ground. Check Transperth’s event planner for your date because weekday and weekend services differ.
Yes. Matagarup Bridge provides a pedestrian route across the Swan River into Stadium Park. Allow for the onward walk to your ticketed gate.
No. The roof covers much of the bowl, but direct sunlight depends on the bay, tier, row and time of day. Ask about your exact position if shade is essential.
Book the Perth viewing position and companion first, then connect it to your hotel route and the correct gate. The stadium has accessible positions across its levels; shade and the outdoor approach deserve attention alongside the train journey.
Plan an accessible Test at Perth Stadium →