Ever dreamed of sitting in the coach’s seat? Finally, you can

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, July 2, 2026

One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch will begin offering public behind-the-scenes tours starting July 24, granting visitors access to restricted areas like player facilities, premium suites, and the field. This new experience highlights the stadium's architectural, cultural, and operational features while providing discounted tickets for Christchurch residents to foster community engagement.

Starting July 24, One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch will open its doors for public tours, allowing visitors access to areas typically reserved for players, entertainers, and officials. This new ticketed experience offers a behind-the-scenes look at various parts of the stadium, including media and coaching boxes, premium suites, player facilities, and the field itself.

The tours, operated by Venues Ōtautahi, provide guests with an opportunity to explore multiple levels of the stadium. Visitors will move through areas such as the Scenic Hotels’ Circle, the Ōtautahi Lounge, and the changing rooms, complete with interactive features, photo stops, and exclusive memorabilia available along the route. Highlights include standing in the same spaces where New Zealand band Six60 warmed up prior to their Once In A Lifetime concert featuring Synthony, as well as trying out the exercise bikes used by the All Blacks during their pre-match warm-ups.

Tour guides will also showcase specialized facilities like the recovery spa pools, praised by the Warriors rugby league team as among the best they have encountered. The tours further explain unique entertainment elements, such as how acrobats and saxophonists have flown across the arena during Crusaders’ halftime shows, with potential future performers like Robbie Williams envisioned using similar setups.

The public tour offering builds upon a private program that has operated quietly since the stadium’s opening. Venues Ōtautahi reports strong positive feedback from early participants. According to Todd Schmidt, director of impact and experience, the tours emphasize not only the venue’s architectural significance but also the cultural narratives, design details, turf science, and operational aspects behind the facility’s creation.

“We designed these tours to take guests on a journey through what it took for us to get this stadium, including its cultural and design elements, as well as the science involved in maintaining the turf and running a world-class facility,” Schmidt said.

Christchurch residents benefit from a 50 percent discount on admission prices, although proof of residency is not required. Standard ticket prices are set at NZ$40 for adults and NZ$20 for children. Group sizes are capped at 20 people, with guides available throughout each tour to answer questions.

Caroline Harvie-Teare, chief executive of Venues Ōtautahi, emphasized the organization’s commitment to making the stadium accessible to the community. “We are privileged to operate the stadium on behalf of the ratepayers of Ōtautahi, Christchurch, so it’s important these tickets are accessible to all,” she said.

Tickets are now available for booking through the One New Zealand Stadium website.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.