Sport in Christchurch has developed from the time of the initial settlement by British migrants, and remains a major activity for participants and spectators in Christchurch. Most of the sporting codes remain amateur, and rely upon volunteers as administrators and officials. However, there are some professional teams.
There are many outdoor sportsgrounds and a variety of indoor venues. Some notable sports venues such as Lancaster Park and Queen Elizabeth II Park were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. A new multi-purpose covered stadium "Te Kaha" seating 30,000 spectators is expected to be complete by April 2026.
Sport in Christchurch is supported by around 1200 sports clubs and associations.[1] Almost all of these organisations are run by volunteers, although there are now some professional teams.[2]
Organised sport was becoming established in Britain at about the same time that British settlers emigrated to New Zealand. In 1851, the anniversary of the founding of the Canterbury settlement was celebrated with an organised sports day in North Hagley Park. Team and individual sports that were popular in Britain soon became established in Christchurch.[2] A cricket club was formed in June 1851, and cricket was included in the sports day celebration later that year. The cricket oval in South Hagley Park was established by the 1860s.[3]Acricket umpires' pavilion built in 1864 was moved to the oval in 1866 and is recognised as the oldest cricket pavilion in New Zealand. It is listed as a Category 2 Historic Place by Heritage New Zealand.[4]
A form of rugby football was played as early as the 1850s by pupils of Christ's College. The Christchurch Football Club, an amateur rugby union club, was founded in 1863, and is believed to be the oldest rugby club in New Zealand.[5] The Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed in 1879. Lancaster Park was opened in 1881, and was a major focus of organised sports in the city, particularly rugby football, until the stadium and grounds were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.[6]
New Zealand’s first inter-provincial association football match was played in Christchurch in 1890.[7]
From the 1920s, further venues were established for specific sporting codes, including English Park (association football), Rugby Park (rugby), Wilding Park (tennis), Porritt Park (hockey) and Denton Park (cycling).[8] Public parks became increasing used as venues for team sports, including children's sport.[8] As of 2024[update], Christchurch City Council maintains over 110 sports grounds in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula.[9]
The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch from 24 January to 2 February 1974, with the main venue at Queen Elizabeth II Park.[10] The games have been described as the "most important single event in Christchurch’s sporting history".[6] Dick Tayler’s win in the 10,000m race was described in the early 2000s as "the most memorable television moment in New Zealand sports history".[10]
| Name | Established | Capacity | Sports | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addington Raceway | 1899 | Harness racing | ||
| Alpine Ice Sports Centre | 1985 | Ice sports | ||
| Apollo Projects Stadium | 2011 | 18,600 | Rugby Union, Rugby League, Football | Temporary venue built after Chch earthquake [11] |
| Christchurch Football Centre | 2014 | 1,000 | Association football | |
| Cowles Stadium | 1961 | 1,000 | Basketball, Netball, Volleyball | |
| Denton Park Velodrome | 1974 | Track cycling | [12] | |
| Euromarque Motorsport Park | 1963 | Motor racing | ||
| Hagley Oval | 1851 | 20,000 | Cricket | |
| Hagley Park | Cricket, Rugby union, Touch rugby, Football, American football, Gaelic football | [13][14] | ||
| Ngā Puna Wai | Athletics, Hockey, Rugby League, Tennis | |||
| Riccarton Park Racecourse | 1858 | Thoroughbred racing | ||
| Te Kaha | 30,000 | Multi-use | Under construction, scheduled to open April 2026[15] | |
| Wilding Park | 1920s | Tennis | ||
| Wolfbrook Arena | 1998 | 7,200 | Netball, Basketball |
Lancaster Park (also known as Jade Stadium & AMI Stadium) was Christchurch's premier outdoor sporting ground, which played host to rugby union in the winter months and cricket in the summer months. It was home to the Crusaders Super Rugby and Canterbury Air New Zealand Cup rugby teams. It was also used by the New Zealand national cricket team and occasionally hosted a New Zealand Warriors rugby league match. It had a capacity of around 40,000 people for sporting fixtures, and around 50,000 for concerts. Damaged during the 2011 February earthquake, the facility was subsequently demolished in 2019 returning it to use as community sports fields.[16][17][18][19]
Queen Elizabeth II Park was built for the 1974 British Commonwealth Games, which Christchurch hosted.[20] It was used primarily as an athletics park, but also included a swimming pool complex. It hosted major concerts from bands such as AC/DC and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The facility was demolished due to damage sustained in the February 2011 earthquake.[21][22]
Christchurch has more than a dozen golf courses within 12 km (7.5 mi) of the city centre,[23] and has hosted the PGA Tour of Australasia/Nationwide Tour co-sanctioned Clearwater Classic/NZ PGA Championship at Clearwater Resort since 2002.
Category:Sport in Christchurch
