Revealed: The huge global sport that is the biggest loser after Brisbane announced its 2032 Olympics venues
It is the world’s most watched sport – yet football will be shunted off to regional Queensland during the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.
Premier David Crisafulli confirmed soccer fixtures will be held in Cairns and Townsville in the state’s far north – and fans of the world game were in disbelief.
Football columnist Mike Tuckerman spoke for many when he posted on X: ‘So the most popular sport on the planet – and the biggest driver of Olympic ticket sales – won’t be played in the host city.
‘If that doesn’t sum up what it’s like to be a football fan in Brisbane, then nothing will.’
It is understood games from the quarter-final stages will be played in the host city – but supporters still questioned the outcome.
‘Treating the most popular sport on the planet with such disrespect…hope the Brisbane Olympics is a massive flop,’ said one.
An artist’s impression of the Victoria Park Olympic Stadium to be constructed at Spring Hill in Brisbane’s inner-city
Brisbane’s Queensland Tennis Centre is set to receive a major $113million update for the Olympics (pictured, another artist’s impression)
Football columnist Mike Tuckerman was shocked to hear confirmation that football at the 2032 Olympics will be hosted in Cairns and Townsville
‘The stupidity of our decision makers has no ends,’ offered another.
It comes after the race to the Brisbane 2032 Games is finally underway, with the long-awaited Olympic venue plan unveiled on Tuesday.
But the finishing line is already fast approaching, with an expert warning organisers are ‘up against the clock’ to complete projects in time across Queensland.
A 63,000-seat main stadium in Brisbane’s Victoria Park has been confirmed as the centrepiece of a bold venue plan revealed by the Queensland government after a 100-day review.
The infrastructure blueprint that promised to deliver new venues and an improved transport network was also confirmed, 1343 days after Brisbane was named as host city.
Queensland ‘finally’ had a plan, Premier David Crisafulli said. ‘The time has come to just get on with it.’
Crisafulli isn’t wrong – the clock is ticking with projects proposed from the state’s southeast to far north after resistance to relocating sports interstate.
But time has already run out to redevelop the ageing Gabba.
What the Redlands Whitewater Centre could look like for kayak events in 2032
An artist impression of the athletes’ village at Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast to the north of Brisbane
The premier said the 2032 Games would mark the famous venue’s swansong, sounding alarm bells for Australian Constructors Association chief executive Jon Davies.
‘That shows you just how up against the clock we now are,’ he said. ‘We have wasted a good three or four years.’
Davies said organisers could not afford drawn out business cases and tender processes if they wanted to complete the 2032 plan amid resource shortages and escalating prices.
Queensland vowed to pull out all stops to ensure boots on the ground to meet the 2032 deadline, with the Victoria Park stadium set to cost an estimated $3.8billion.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the state would ‘absolutely steal workers’ from NSW and Victoria to help with construction.
‘We will put a big shining light in Queensland and say ‘move to Queensland’,” he said.
Some sports are already getting excited after emerging as the venue plan’s big winners.
They include swimming, with the inner-city Centenary Pool to be transformed into a 25,000-seat national aquatic centre near the main stadium, ditching initial drop-in pool plans.
Football fans wanting to see Mary Fowler (pictured) and the Matildas in the flesh may need to travel to Cairns and Townsville
Brisbane Showgrounds will get a facelift with a 20,000-seat stadium planned next to a relocated main athletes village.
Hockey will also be happy, with the sport to be held on the Gold Coast at a revamped 2018 Commonwealth Games venue.
But the plan did not feature a proposed Commonwealth-backed $2.5billion Brisbane Arena in the CBD, with the state government allocating federal funding to other infrastructure.
Crisafulli said the private sector would be asked to splash out for the 18,000-seat indoor centre to save taxpayer dollars.
The arena was initially part of the $7.1billion Games venue funding envelope agreed by the Queensland government and Commonwealth in February 2023.
However, the review report indicated if the arena remained publicly funded the venue price would blow past $8billion because of rising costs and time constraints.
A private sector-backed Brisbane Arena will be built near the outgoing Gabba.
Brisbane’s traditional cricket and AFL home will be bulldozed and eventually become an entertainment and housing precinct.
Townsville and Cairns are set to see top-flight football which has been rare since the North Queensland Fury folded in 2011 (pictured, former captain Robbie Fowler in 2009)
Football will be held in north Queensland calling for a permanent 30,000-seat stadium, preferably at Brisbane’s Perry Park.
Rowing will be hosted in central Queensland’s Fitzroy River, in crocodile country, raising concerns it may not meet international standards.
Queensland Tennis Centre will get a major upgrade reportedly worth $113 million to host the sport, avoiding plans to relocate to Melbourne.
Equestrian events have been moved to Toowoomba and sailing from Moreton Bay to north Queensland.
Crisafulli apologised for breaking an election promise after vowing there would be no new stadiums but the Olympic body liked what it saw.
‘The International Olympic Committee is very aligned with where we’re heading and very excited we have a plan,’ Brisbane 2032 boss Andrew Liveris said.
