Perth Rectangular Stadium

About

Perth Rectangular Stadium (also known as HBF Park under naming rights) is a sports stadium in Perth, the capital of the Australian state of Western Australia. Located close to Perth's central business district, the stadium currently has a maximum capacity of 20,500 people for sporting events and 25,000 people for concerts, with the ground's record attendance of 32,000 people set during an Ed Sheeran concert in 2015. The land on which the stadium was built, known as Loton Park, was made a public reserve in 1904, with the main ground developed several years later. From 1910 until 2003, it was known as Perth Oval and was the home ground of the East Perth Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). It hosted several of the competition's grand finals during that time. In 2004, the ground was redeveloped, altering it from an oval field to a rectangular field. The ground is currently home to two major professional sporting clubs: Perth Glory FC, a soccer team competing in the A-League, and the Western Force, a rugby union team playing in the Super Rugby Pacific competition. It will also be home to the Perth Bears, a rugby league team entering the National Rugby League in 2027.

The stadium is currently used for hosting sports events and concerts.

In sports mode the stadium has a capacity of around 20,500. Soccer club Perth Glory has played at the ground since 1996. The stadium is unusual among modern Australian stadiums for having a standing terrace at the northern end of the ground, called 'The Shed'.

The ground has hosted rugby union team Western Force since 2010. The Force's move to the stadium led to a minor redevelopment of facilities at the ground, including an increase in capacity and improved lighting.

Since 2009, there have been annual NRL games played at the oval, generally as South Sydney Rabbitohs home games, with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles joining in 2016. The stadium has housed the administrative facilities of the Western Australia Rugby League since 2003. The stadium will become the home ground of the newly formed NRL team the Perth Bears from 2027.

In 2015, the stadium hosted a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Australia and Bangladesh, the first A-international in Perth in over a decade.

The stadium was one of the host venues for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The capacity for concerts is now over 25,000. A record 32,000 crowd attended the Ed Sheeran concert in 2015.

In sports mode the stadium has a capacity of around 20,500. Soccer club Perth Glory has played at the ground since 1996. The stadium is unusual among modern Australian stadiums for having a standing terrace at the northern end of the ground, called 'The Shed'.

The ground has hosted rugby union team Western Force since 2010. The Force's move to the stadium led to a minor redevelopment of facilities at the ground, including an increase in capacity and improved lighting.

Since 2009, there have been annual NRL games played at the oval, generally as South Sydney Rabbitohs home games, with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles joining in 2016. The stadium has housed the administrative facilities of the Western Australia Rugby League since 2003. The stadium will become the home ground of the newly formed NRL team the Perth Bears from 2027.

In 2015, the stadium hosted a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Australia and Bangladesh, the first A-international in Perth in over a decade.

The stadium was one of the host venues for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The capacity for concerts is now over 25,000. A record 32,000 crowd attended the Ed Sheeran concert in 2015.

The land on which the stadium is built was known as Loton's Paddock after the previous owner William Loton, Lord Mayor of Perth. The paddock had been reclaimed from part of Stone's Lake, which was part of a lake system known as The Great Lakes District which included Lake Monger and Herdsman Lake.

Loton sold the land to the City of Perth in 1904 with the purpose of providing recreation for the residents of the area. After the 2004 redevelopment, part of the ground reverted to public open space and the original name, Loton Park was re-applied, to honour Loton, and Yoordgoorading, the Noongar name for the former lake.

Lacrosse was one of the main sports played on the oval from the early 1900s to the 1940s, being the home of the WA Lacrosse Association during this time. Australian rules football was also occasionally played on the oval from 1905.

In the early 1930s large white entry gates were built on the north west corner of the ground. These have since been heritage listed.

Soccer was an early tenant at Loton Park, playing regular matches as early as 1903, when over 2,000 spectators attended a Charity Cup match between Olympic FC and Civil Service.

In 1905 the land was offered to the Western Australian British Football Association for £ 2,000, equivalent to A$ 337,400 in 2022, but the asking price was considered too high.