Perth Rectangular Stadium
Perth Rectangular Stadium is a multipurpose sports and entertainment venue near central Perth, Western Australia, known commercially as HBF Park.
Last updated November 4, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Perth Rectangular Stadium is a public sports and entertainment venue in the inner Perth suburb of Northbridge, Western Australia. The stadium is primarily associated with soccer and rugby union and serves as the home venue of Perth Glory in the A-League Men and the Western Force in Super Rugby Pacific. It also accommodates rugby league, international fixtures, concerts and community events. The venue is scheduled to become the home ground of the Perth Bears when the club enters the National Rugby League in 2027. The site has a long public-recreation history. The land was formerly known as Loton's Paddock, after Perth mayor and landowner William Loton, and formed part of a wetland system that included areas associated with the Great Lakes District. Loton sold the land to the City of Perth in 1904 for recreational use. The ground subsequently became known as Perth Oval and developed as a major sporting reserve. Its early tenants included soccer, lacrosse, Australian rules football and cricket teams. The historic white entrance gates built in the early 1930s remain an important heritage feature. Australian rules football dominated much of the venue's twentieth-century history. East Perth Football Club moved to the ground in 1910 and used it for most of the following decades. The venue hosted West Australian Football League matches and six WAFL grand finals, as well as interstate football fixtures. A 1929 match between Western Australia and Victoria drew 27,473 spectators, a sporting attendance record for the state at the time. The site also accommodated North Perth and University cricket teams during parts of the twentieth century. The arrival of Perth Glory in the National Soccer League in 1996 exposed the limitations of the former oval configuration. Temporary seating was used to bring spectators closer to the rectangular playing area, but a permanent soccer-oriented redevelopment was ultimately required. Following the rejection of a proposed redevelopment at Leederville Oval, the Town of Vincent undertook a major reconstruction. Completed in 2004, the project transformed the oval into a rectangular stadium and restored the name Loton Park to part of the surrounding public open space. The modern venue has a sports capacity of approximately 20,500. Soccer remains central to the stadium's identity. Perth Glory has played at the ground since 1996, while the venue has hosted domestic women's finals and matches involving Australia's national teams. In 2015, the Socceroos returned to Perth for the first time in more than a decade, defeating Bangladesh 5–0 in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier before returning the following year to play Iraq. The stadium later hosted five group-stage matches during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. It is also designated for matches at the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup, with the wider Perth hosting programme split between the rectangular stadium and Perth Stadium. Rugby union has been another major pillar of the venue. Western Force adopted the ground as its home from the 2010 season, prompting improvements to lighting and other facilities. The stadium has also hosted Australian representative fixtures, including Rugby Championship and planned Nations Championship matches. Rugby league has been played at the site since 1997 and became a recurring fixture from 2009, initially through South Sydney Rabbitohs home games and later through Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles fixtures and representative matches. The venue hosted the 2017 Rugby League World Cup and the 2020 NRL Nines. The stadium is also an established concert venue. Its concert capacity exceeds the standard sports configuration, and a 2015 Ed Sheeran performance drew 32,000 people, the venue's stated attendance record. A major pre-existing concert crowd was recorded for Foo Fighters. In 2020, Tame Impala performed on the empty pitch during the COVID-19 period as part of a promotional event connected with EA Sports FIFA 21. Since 2021, the venue has operated under the HBF Park naming-rights identity. HBF is a Perth-based health insurer. The commercial name coexists with Perth Rectangular Stadium, which remains the venue's descriptive and reference name. The stadium's combination of central location, standing terrace known as The Shed, international-event capability and adaptable concert configuration gives it a distinctive role in Western Australia's sports and entertainment infrastructure.
History
The stadium occupies land historically known as Loton's Paddock, named after William Loton, a former Lord Mayor of Perth. The area had been reclaimed from part of Stone's Lake, within a wider wetland network connected with the Great Lakes District. In 1904, Loton sold the property to the City of Perth so it could be maintained as public recreational land. The reserve later became known as Perth Oval, while a portion of the site regained the name Loton Park after the modern redevelopment. Sport was established on the ground early in its history. Soccer matches were being staged by 1903, including a Charity Cup fixture attended by more than 2,000 people. Lacrosse became a major use from the early twentieth century through the 1940s, and the ground served as a base for the Western Australian Lacrosse Association. Australian rules football was also played from 1905, while cricket clubs used the venue during parts of the twentieth century. In the early 1930s, substantial white entry gates were built at the north-west corner; these later received heritage recognition. East Perth Football Club moved from Wellington Square to Perth Oval in 1910. Except for periods affected by a rent dispute and an unsuccessful move to the WACA, the club used the ground for most of the twentieth century. Perth Oval hosted six WAFL grand finals between 1912 and 1935 and accommodated other WAFL clubs at different times. Interstate Australian rules football was played there between 1921 and 1935. The 1921 Perth Carnival match between Western Australia and South Australia attracted 26,461 spectators, while the 1929 Western Australia–Victoria fixture drew 27,473, then a Western Australian sporting record. The ground's football history also included a 26,760-attendance East Perth–West Perth derby in 1969. Soccer became increasingly important in the modern period. Perth Glory began playing at the venue after entering the National Soccer League in 1996. Because the old ground was oval-shaped, temporary stands were placed on the field to create a more suitable rectangular viewing arrangement. The limitations of that solution, combined with the rejection of a proposed Leederville Oval redevelopment, led the Town of Vincent to undertake a comprehensive reconstruction. The 2004 redevelopment changed the playing configuration from an oval to a purpose-built rectangular layout. The rebuilt stadium provided a capacity of about 20,500 for sport and retained the northern standing terrace known as The Shed. Rugby union had been played at the ground since at least 1905, but its modern profile expanded when Western Force selected Perth Oval as its home from 2010. Associated works improved capacity, lighting and stadium facilities. The venue later hosted high-level international rugby, including fixtures involving Australia, Argentina and South Africa, and was selected for a future Australian Test against Italy in the Nations Championship context. Rugby league has also maintained a recurring presence. The first match associated with the venue in the professional era was a 1997 Super League fixture moved there because the Western Reds' normal venue was unavailable. Regular NRL games began in 2009, with South Sydney Rabbitohs commonly using the stadium as a home venue and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles later joining the programme. The stadium hosted Australia's 2016 rugby league Test against New Zealand, the 2017 Rugby League World Cup and the 2020 NRL Nines. Its future role will expand if the Perth Bears commence NRL competition in 2027. The venue has hosted major soccer events, including Australia's 2015 World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh, a subsequent 2016 qualifier against Iraq, a 2024 qualifier against Palestine and five group matches at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. A $32 million upgrade preceded the women's tournament, supporting new LED floodlights, improved player and media areas, pitch works, upgraded team access areas and temporary seating. The stadium is scheduled to host further international women's soccer at the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup. Concerts form a significant secondary use. The venue's concert capacity is above 25,000, and Ed Sheeran drew a reported 32,000 people in December 2015, the stadium's largest recorded crowd. Foo Fighters also drew a crowd approaching that level earlier in the year. During the COVID-19 period, Perth band Tame Impala performed on the empty pitch in a promotional event linked to FIFA 21. Since 2021, naming rights held by HBF have supported the HBF Park commercial identity, while Perth Rectangular Stadium remains the formal subject name used for the venue in reference sources.
- 2023
FIFA Women's World Cup host venue
[1]The stadium hosted five group-stage matches after a substantial tournament-related upgrade.
- 2021
HBF Park naming-rights identity
[1]HBF began holding naming rights for the venue.
- 2017
Rugby League World Cup venue
[1]The stadium hosted matches during the Rugby League World Cup.
- 2015
Major international soccer and concert attendance
[1]The Socceroos returned to Perth for a World Cup qualifier, while an Ed Sheeran concert later established the venue's reported 32,000 attendance record.
- 2010
Western Force becomes a major tenant
[1]Western Force adopted the stadium as its Super Rugby home venue.
- 2004
Oval-to-rectangular redevelopment
[1]A major reconstruction converted Perth Oval into a rectangular stadium designed for soccer and rugby.
- 1996
Perth Glory begins using the venue
[1]Perth Glory entered the National Soccer League and began playing at the ground.
- 1929
Record interstate football crowd
[1]A Western Australia versus Victoria match attracted 27,473 spectators.
- 1910
East Perth adopts the ground
[1]East Perth Football Club moved to Perth Oval and became its principal long-term Australian rules football tenant.
- 1904
Land becomes a public recreation reserve
[1]William Loton sold the site to the City of Perth for public recreational use.
Products and positioning
A centrally located rectangular stadium focused on soccer and rugby while also serving as a flexible venue for international tournaments, rugby league, concerts and community events.
Venue service · 2004
Sports event hosting
The stadium provides a rectangular sports configuration with capacity of approximately 20,500. Its principal uses are soccer and rugby union, supported by facilities for rugby league, representative matches, tournament operations, media activity and spectator hospitality.
Live entertainment
Concert and entertainment venue
With a concert capacity exceeding the regular sports capacity, the venue accommodates major touring artists and outdoor entertainment events. Its largest reported crowd was 32,000 for an Ed Sheeran concert in 2015.
Naming-rights brand · 2021
HBF Park
HBF Park is the commercial naming identity applied to Perth Rectangular Stadium under naming rights held by HBF since 2021. The name is used in venue marketing and event promotion while Perth Rectangular Stadium remains the reference name.
Brand decisions
2023
Upgrade for the FIFA Women's World CupOtherBackground
The stadium was selected as a host venue for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Action taken
A reported $32 million project upgraded floodlighting, player and media facilities, the pitch, team access areas and temporary spectator seating.
Aftermath
The venue hosted five group-stage matches and improved its readiness for future international competitions.
Upgrade cost. $32 million (Before the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup)
2004
Convert the oval into a rectangular stadiumStrategyBackground
Perth Glory's arrival highlighted the limitations of staging rectangular-field sports in an oval venue with temporary seating.
Action taken
The Town of Vincent undertook a major redevelopment that reconfigured the playing field and spectator facilities for soccer and rugby.
Aftermath
The rebuilt venue became a permanent home for Perth Glory and later a major Western Force and international-event venue.
Recent events
- 2026
Perth hosts 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup fixtures[1]
Other
The stadium is scheduled to host multiple matches at the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup, including quarter-final fixtures, while other Perth matches are assigned to Perth Stadium.
- 2023
Perth Rectangular Stadium hosts 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup matches[1]
Other · Product launch
The venue hosted five group-stage matches during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup after receiving improvements to lighting, the pitch, player and media facilities, access routes and temporary spectator seating.
- 2021
HBF naming rights continue at Perth Rectangular Stadium[1]
Other
Perth-based health insurer HBF began holding naming rights, giving the venue the commercial name HBF Park.
Perth Bears scheduled to enter the NRL[1]
Other · Product launch
Perth Rectangular Stadium is planned to become the home ground of the Perth Bears when the new rugby league club joins the National Rugby League.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/perth-rectangular-stadium · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled