Brisbane 2032 Archives - Redcliffe Today

World Cup Trophy Lands In Redcliffe As Kayo Stadium Prepares For Global Stage

A 24-karat gold-plated World Cup trophy has arrived at Kayo Stadium, giving Redcliffe an early glimpse of the international softball tournament that will transform the Dolphins’ home ground next April.

The WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals will bring eight nations to Moreton Bay from 5 to 10 April 2027, with Australia’s Aussie Spirit facing Japan, the United States, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico, Mexico and China. The tournament will be the first Women’s Softball World Cup staged in Australia since the inaugural event in 1965.

The trophy was unveiled at Kayo Stadium on Tuesday, 7 October, in front of current and former Australian players, local junior softballers and government and sporting representatives. Made in Italy from gold-plated brass, it will return to the same venue in April to be presented to the 2027 world champions.

Softball World Cup 2027 — *Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay/Facebook*

From Rugby League Turf To A World Cup Diamond

Kayo Stadium will undergo an unusual sporting conversion for the six-day tournament, with the NRL ground to be turned into an international softball diamond. The change puts a global event in a venue better known as the Dolphins’ home base, while nearby Talobilla Park will remain part of tournament operations as a warm-up facility. The park had originally been earmarked to host the World Cup before the event was shifted to Kayo Stadium.

Mr Peter Flannery has described the tournament as the biggest sporting event the city has hosted. Visiting teams, supporters and officials are expected to bring activity beyond the stadium, with organisers and government representatives forecasting more than $3.65 million flowing into the Queensland economy and benefits for tourism operators, businesses and local jobs.

Women’s Softball World Cup — *Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay/Facebook*

Organisers are also chasing a benchmark inside the ground. Softball Australia hopes a crowd of 10,000 for a match could establish a new attendance record for the tournament. Australia will have more than a world title at stake. The Redcliffe finals are the first qualifying event for softball at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, where five teams will join host nation the United States.

Redcliffe Hosts While 2032 Venue Hunt Continues

The tournament also arrives while softball and baseball pursue places on the Brisbane 2032 Olympic program, with the question of where the two sports could be staged still unresolved. Kayo Stadium can accommodate an international softball field but does not have enough playing space for baseball. The Gabba is expected to be used for cricket in 2032, while the Brisbane Showgrounds has been ruled out as an option because of security requirements around the adjacent athletes’ village.

Mr Tim Mander has said another potential site has been identified, but neither the government nor Baseball Australia has disclosed its location. Baseball Australia has indicated several venue solutions could be presented to Brisbane 2032 organisers.

A separate proposal has emerged in Logan for a privately funded, purpose-built ballpark at Griffith University, although Mander said it was not yet part of Brisbane 2032 planning. Redcliffe will get the first test much sooner. General public tickets for the 2027 Women’s Softball World Cup Finals go on sale from 1pm AEST on Thursday, 8 October, ahead of Kayo Stadium’s switch from rugby league field to World Cup diamond next April.

Published 7-October-2026

Dolphins Pitch Kippa-Ring Precinct Upgrade Ahead of Brisbane 2032

The Dolphins are pitching their Kippa-Ring home as a potential asset for Brisbane 2032, with a proposed hotel, convention centre, high-performance facility and expanded Kayo Stadium forming part of a broader master plan for the Redcliffe precinct.

Read: Then and Now: Waldheim, the Stephen Family’s Homestead in Annerley

The NRL club’s Redcliffe base is at the Redcliffe Leagues Club, adjacent to Kayo Stadium at the corner of Klingner Road and Ashmole Road in Kippa-Ring. The proposed redevelopment would add facilities that the club believes could become increasingly relevant as Brisbane prepares for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The proposed high-performance centre has been the subject of several funding and cost figures as plans have developed. The Dolphins announced an $8 million government funding commitment towards the facility in April 2025. A 9News exclusive later reported the project at $40 million, while Moreton Daily, reporting on the Dolphins’ broader master plan outlined by Dolphins Group CEO Tony Murphy in January 2025, put the first stage of the redevelopment at about $60 million. More recently, the Brisbane Times reported the proposed high-performance centre at $50 million.

Photo credit: Google Maps/Redcliffe Leagues Club

The Dolphins’ broader ambitions for the site are not new, with plans for expanded stadium seating, hotel accommodation and conference facilities publicly reported as early as January 2025

The broader proposal includes hotel accommodation, a convention centre and a new southern grandstand. A convention centre and new southern grandstand are also proposed, with the existing leagues club set to be replaced as part of the longer-term plans.

The proposal comes as fixture congestion at major Brisbane venues is already prompting some teams to use alternative grounds. Kayo Stadium has already provided another option for sporting teams. Brisbane Roar is due to play seven of its 13 home matches at the Redcliffe ground during the upcoming A-League campaign because of fixture congestion at Suncorp Stadium during the summer concert period.

The arrangement provides an example of Kayo Stadium being used when a major Brisbane venue is unavailable.

A stadium with room to grow

The scale of the stadium proposal has changed over time. Earlier reporting put the planned capacity at 22,000 to 24,000, while more recent reporting put the capacity at about 16,000 with the addition of a covered southern stand. The proposed stand would also include corporate facilities.

Earlier plans for the precinct included about 200 hotel rooms providing 300 to 400 beds, with the additional accommodation intended to help ease a shortage across Moreton Bay.

The high-performance centre forms another part of the club’s broader redevelopment plans, with the Dolphins saying community needs would be considered in its final design. These include education, junior player pathways, women’s rugby league and support for Indigenous organisations.

The Dolphins have also identified potential uses for the precinct as Brisbane prepares for the 2032 Games. Mr Reader said the club hoped the precinct could be ready for the Games, with the potential to provide accommodation and training facilities for Olympic teams before competition begins.

The prospect of helping displaced sports had been raised earlier. In January 2025, Dolphins Group CEO Tony Murphy s aid the club wanted to help address issues facing sports when their existing stadiums were unavailable because of the Games.

Kayo Stadium is already used beyond Dolphins fixtures. The ground has hosted Brisbane Roar matches and is also due to be used for the Women’s Softball World Cup.

The proposal remains a master plan rather than a completed redevelopment, but it places the Kippa-Ring precinct among the venues being considered for a broader sporting role. An expanded Kayo Stadium and additional accommodation could also strengthen Redcliffe’s ability to host sporting events and visitors.

Read: Dolphins Finish Strong To Pull Away From Tigers In Campbelltown

If the master plan progresses, the Kippa-Ring site could have expanded sporting and accommodation facilities ahead of the 2032 Games, while the high-performance centre could add health and education elements to the Dolphins’ existing home.

For a club already drawing major sporting attention to the peninsula, the proposal represents an attempt to make its Redcliffe base useful beyond regular NRL match days.

Published 25-August-2026. Updated 26-August-2026.

Redcliffe to Host Oceania Under 21 Hockey World Cup Qualifier

Oceania Hockey Federation/Facebook

The Oceania Hockey Federation has announced Redcliffe as the host of its 2026 Under 21 Junior World Cup Qualifier, with elite junior national teams from across the Pacific set to compete at Mary Nairn Fields.

The tournament will run from 28 September to 4 October and will feature leading junior national teams from across the Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand, competing in an 11-a-side format for qualification to the FIH Junior World Cup. It is the region’s most significant junior hockey event and one of the few pathways through which Oceania nations can earn a place at the sport’s global showpiece.

Delivered in partnership with Redcliffe Hockey Club and City of Moreton Bay, the tournament marks a major milestone as an international hockey event for the Moreton Bay region.

A qualifying path that produces serious talent

The Oceania Under 21 Junior World Cup Qualifier is the competition through which Australia and New Zealand determine who represents the region at the FIH Junior World Cup.

The most recent edition was held in Auckland in January and February 2025, where New Zealand edged Australia to win the men’s qualifier in a shootout. Both nations qualified for the 2025 FIH Hockey Junior World Cup held in Tamil Nadu, India.

The 2026 qualifier at Redcliffe represents the next cycle in that pathway. Under-21 players competing this October are the generation building toward the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, where hockey will feature on the full program.

OHF CEO Craig Gribble described the tournament as a foundational step for emerging athletes. “This tournament is a vital pathway for emerging athletes aiming to compete on the world stage as we build towards Brisbane 2032,” he said. “Hosting the qualifiers in Redcliffe provides a unique platform for high-performance competition while also strengthening hockey across Oceania.”

A venue with nearly 100 years behind it

Mary Nairn Fields at Oxley Avenue is home to the Redcliffe Hockey Club, which has been a fixture of the Moreton Bay sports landscape since its foundation in 1932. The club runs both men’s and women’s competitions across multiple grades, and the Oxley Avenue grounds have hosted Queensland-level competition for decades.

The club runs both men’s and women’s competitions across multiple grades, and the Oxley Avenue grounds have hosted Queensland-level competition for decades.

*Photo Credit: Hockey Australia/Facebook*

The event reinforces City of Moreton Bay’s growing reputation for hosting high-performance international sport and highlights the city as a destination for major events. Players, officials and supporters from across Oceania are expected to make the trip to Redcliffe for the week-long tournament.

Tournament details and schedule

Match schedules, team confirmations and ticketing details will be announced in the coming months as the tournament takes shape. The format is 11-a-side across the full week, with qualifying matches building toward a final that decides Oceania’s representatives at the FIH Junior World Cup.

For the Redcliffe community, the tournament represents a rare opportunity to watch elite international sport at a local venue, with players who will, in many cases, go on to represent their countries at Olympic level.

Further information will be available through the Oceania Hockey Federation’s website and Redcliffe Hockey Club’s channels as the event draws closer.

Published 8-June-2026

Kayo Stadium Swap From Rugby League to Softball Locked in for 2027

Kayo Stadium will swap rugby league goalposts for home plates after the Dolphins’ home ground was selected to host the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals, bringing international teams and global attention to Moreton Bay.

The tournament will run from 5 to 11 April 2027, with organisers confirming the stadium will be converted into a purpose-built softball diamond for the event. The finals will also serve as a qualifying pathway toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Organisers have described the tournament as Queensland’s first major international team event linked to the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Officials from Softball Australia, the City of Moreton Bay, the Dolphins organisation and Softball Queensland gathered at Kayo Stadium this week to confirm the venue announcement alongside members of the Aussie Spirit national team.

Softball Australia chief executive Sarah Loh said the stadium setting would give the sport a larger audience and create stronger connections with young players and families across the country. She said the event was expected to encourage more girls and women to become involved in softball.

Softball Australia CEO Sarah Loh announces the 2027 Softball World Cup Venue at Redcliffe Leagues Club.
Photo Credit: Scott Powick Softball Australia Media/Supplied

From Dolphins Territory to International Softball Diamond

Kayo Stadium has long been known as the home of the Dolphins and one of Queensland’s established rugby league venues.

The switch to softball will see the ground temporarily redesigned with an international-standard diamond, enhanced broadcast facilities and upgraded spectator access for the tournament.

*Softball Australia Head Coach Kerrie Porter with Team Spirit players Nicole Conacher & Jayme Reddacliff during the 2027 Softball World Cup Venue announcement at Redcliffe Leagues Club.*
*Photo Credit: Scott Powick Softball Australia Media/SUPPLIED*

The 10,000-seat venue already features modern player facilities, stadium lighting and transport links through Kippa-Ring station, making it suitable for an event expected to draw teams and supporters from around the world.

For local sports fans, the tournament will mark a rare shift from the stadium’s usual rugby league setup to an international softball layout.

Dolphins Group president Bob Jones joined the announcement in Redcliffe, highlighting the partnership between the rugby league club, Softball Australia and Moreton Bay Council in bringing the event to the area.

Talobilla Park to Host Training and Warm-Up Sessions

While Kayo Stadium will host the main tournament matches, Talobilla Park will continue to play a major role throughout the week.

The Redcliffe softball venue, which had originally been announced as the tournament host site, will instead operate as the official training and warm-up base for competing teams.

That means international players and coaching staff are expected to spend time across multiple parts of the Peninsula during the event.

Mr Peter Flannery said the tournament would help strengthen Moreton Bay’s standing as a destination for major sporting events while also bringing long-term benefits to the community.

He said the partnership between council, Softball Australia and the Dolphins would help keep Redcliffe closely connected to the World Cup experience even with activities spread across different venues.

Local Softball Clubs Prepare for World Cup Spotlight

The arrival of the Women’s Softball World Cup Finals is expected to place fresh attention on grassroots softball across the region.

Representatives from Redcliffe Leagues Softball Association attended the announcement, with organisers pointing to the opportunity for local juniors to watch elite international players compete in their own backyard.

The Aussie Spirit is expected to face seven of the world’s leading softball nations during the tournament, giving local fans a chance to see Olympic-level athletes without leaving southeast Queensland.

Federal Sport Minister Anika Wells said the event would help place women’s sport in front of larger crowds and younger audiences, particularly with matches being staged inside a stadium environment rather than a traditional softball complex.

Queensland Sport Minister Tim Mander also linked the event to the growing focus on participation ahead of Brisbane 2032, saying international tournaments often encourage children to become involved in local sport.

World Cup Event Adds to Redcliffe’s Sporting Schedule

The World Cup announcement adds another major event to Redcliffe’s sporting calendar following the Dolphins’ entry into the NRL and continued investment across Moreton Bay sporting infrastructure.

The tournament is expected to bring teams, officials and supporters to the region during the week-long competition period.

The event will also place Kayo Stadium in front of international television audiences as softball prepares for its return to the Olympic spotlight.

Fans can register for tournament updates and ticket information through Softball Australia.

Published 19-May-2026