List of international sports events in Australia

Australia has a rich history of bidding for and hosting major international multi-sport events and world championships. It has hosted two Summer Olympics, one Summer Paralympics and four Commonwealth Games.

Background

Australian Government provides funding for the hosting of major sports events in Australia. It provided $247.3 million in funding for the hosting of the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Paralympics.[1] In recent years, it has provided funding to 2015 Asian Cup, 2015 Cricket World Cup, 2015 Netball World Cup and 2018 Commonwealth Games.[2] For the 2015 Cricket World Cup, it provided $14 million in funding.[3] Its objectives in providing funding were to inspire Australian children to be active as well as providing a boost to the economy.[3] The event held in both Australia and New Zealand was expected to inject $360 million directly into both economies.[3]

Several Australian state and territory governments have established major event organisations to assist in the bidding and financing for major international sporting events in Australia. Their objectives are to improve their economies through tourism and further develop community and sporting facilities. Examples of these organisations are Victorian Major Events Company, Events New South Wales and Tourism and Events Queensland.

The cost of bidding and hosting sporting events has sometimes come under scrutiny. It was reported that Melbourne's 2014 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix cost taxpayers almost $60 million. This was an additional $9.3 million than 2013 and due to declining ticket sales and increased costs.[4] Australia unsuccessfully bidded for he 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cups. The bid was managed by Football Federation Australia and was granted $42 million in Australian Government funding.[5] The bid came under scrutiny as only one vote out of 22 of the FIFA Executive Committee members was obtained and the ethics of Australia's bidding process.[5]

International multi-sport competitions

Includes international multi-sport events that are held on a regular schedule.

Year Dates International Event City Sports Countries Competitors Attendance
1938 5–12 February British Empire Games Sydney 8 15 464
1956 22 November – 8 December Summer Olympic Games[6] Melbourne 17 72 3,314 1,341,483
1962 22 November – 1 December British Empire and Commonwealth Games[7] Perth, Western Australia 9 35 863 224,987
1962 10–17 November Commonwealth Paraplegic Games[8] Perth, Western Australia 14 9 93 n/a
1977 20–27 November FESPIC Games Sydney 12 15 310 n/a
1982 30 September – 9 October Commonwealth Games[9] Brisbane, Queensland 11 46 1,583 481,313
1985 26 January – 5 February Australia Games[10] Melbourne 24 31 1,848 92,767[11]
1994 26 September – 8 October 1994 World Masters Games[12] Brisbane, Queensland 30 74 24,500 n/a
1995 26 February – 4 March World Police and Fire Games[13] Melbourne 62 44 6,820 n/a
1997 29 September – 5 October World Transplant Games[14] Sydney 58 1,000 (est) n/a
2000 15 September – 1 October Summer Olympic Games[15] Sydney 28 199 10,651 6.7 million tickets sold[16]
2000 18–29 October Summer Paralympic Games[17] Sydney 20 127 3,846 1,159,249 tickets sold[18]
2001 29 August – 9 September 5th Goodwill Games[19] Brisbane, Queensland 14 1300 280,135
2002 2–9 November Gay Games[20] Sydney 31 77 12,099 n/a
2002 5–13 October 2002 World Masters Games[21] Melbourne 26 98 24,886 n/a
2004 30 November – 3 December Commonwealth Youth Games Bendigo, Victoria 10 24 1,000 (est) n/a
2005 5–16 January Summer Deaflympics[22] Melbourne 14 63 2,038 n/a
2006 15–26 March Commonwealth Games[23] Melbourne 17 71 4,500 (est) 1.5 million tickets sold[24]
2007 16–25 March World Police and Fire Games[25] Adelaide, South Australia 75 60 8,000 (est) n/a
2009 10–18 October World Masters Games[26] Sydney 28 95 28,676 n/a
2009 22–30 August World Transplant Games[27] Gold Coast, Queensland 12 990 n/a
2013 1–7 December 2013 Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games[28] Newcastle, New South Wales 9 29 2,500 (est) n/a
2018 4–15 April Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Queensland 18 71 4,426 1.2 million tickets[29]
2018 18-29 October Invictus Games Sydney, New South Wales 12 18 500 estimated
2019 October INAS Global Games Brisbane, Queensland 10 47 1000[30]
2023 15 - 21 April World Transplant Games Perth, Western Australia
2026 To be determined XXIII Commonwealth Games Victoria (Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland), Australia
2032 To be determined 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games Brisbane, Queensland
2032 To be determined 2032 Brisbane Paralympic Games Brisbane, Queensland

(est) – estimate in reports
n/a – not applicable as event primarily for participants and low number of paying spectators

Other international multi-sport events that are held in an Australia on a regular basis are:

International sports championships

Includes world championships, regional championships and high-profile international events. These events are held throughout the world on a regular schedule.

Sport Year Dates Event City Countries Competitors Attendance
Aquatic sports – Swimming, Diving,
Water Polo, Synchronized swimming		 1991 3–13 January FINA World Championships Perth, Western Australia 59 1142 42,000[31]
Aquatic sports – Swimming, Diving,
Water Polo, Synchronized swimming		 1998 8–17 January FINA World Championships Perth, Western Australia
Aquatic sports – Swimming, Diving,
Water Polo, Synchronized swimming		 2007 18 March – 1 April FINA World Championships Melbourne 167 2,158
Athletics 1985 4–6 October IAAF World Cup Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Athletics 1987 29 November – 6 December World Masters Athletics Championships Melbourne
Athletics 1996 20–25 August World Junior Championships Sydney
Athletics 2001 1–14 July World Masters Athletics Championships Brisbane, Queensland
Athletics 2016 26 October – 6 November World Masters Athletics Championships Perth, Western Australia
Athletics 2023 18 February World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst, New South Wales
Archery 1977 8 – 11 February World Championships Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Archery 1987 March World Championships Adelaide, South Australia
Baseball 1985 Asian Baseball Championship Perth, Western Australia 5
Baseball 1985 26 February – 7 March Asian Baseball Championship Perth, Western Australia 7
Basketball 1994 2–12 June FIBA World Championship for Women Sydney 16 192
Basketball 2022 23 Sept - 3 Oct FIBA Women's World Cup Sydney 12
Bowls 1966 10–23 October World Outdoor Championship (Men) Sydney
Bowls 1969 4–12 December World Outdoor Bowls Championship (Women) Sydney
Bowls 1980 17 January – 2 February World Outdoor Championship (Men) Melbourne
Bowls 1985 13 February – 4 March World Outdoor Championship (Women) Melbourne
Bowls 1996 18–31 March World Outdoor Championships (Men) Adelaide, South Australia
Bowls 2000 8–26 March World Outdoor Championship (Women) Moama, New South Wales
Bowls 2012 24 November – 9 December 2012 World Outdoor Championships Adelaide, South Australia 31
Bowls 2020 23 May – 7 June World Outdoor Championships Gold Coast, Queensland [32]
Boxing 1991 15–23 November World Amateur Championships Sydney
Canoeing 2005 30 September – 4 October ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships Sydney
Canoeing 2025 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships Sydney
Cricket 1988 29 November – 18 December Women's World Cup Australia
Cricket 1992 22 February – 25 March Men's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 9
Cricket 2009 7–22 March Women's World Cup Australia 8
Cricket 2015 14 February – 29 March Men's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 14 210 1,016,420 (20,743 per match)
Cricket 2020 21 February - 8 March ICC Women's T20 World Cup Australia 10 150 136,549 (86,174 final)[33]
Cricket 2022 16 October -13 November. ICC Men's T20 World Cup Australia 16
Cycling 1989 World BMX Championships Brisbane, Queensland
Cycling 1996 20–22 September UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships Cairns, Queensland
Cycling 1997 27–31 August UCI Track Cycling World Championships Perth, Western Australia
Cycling 2003 23–27 July UCI BMX World Championships Perth, Western Australia
Cycling 2004 26–30 May UCI Track Cycling World Championships Melbourne
Cycling 2009 1–6 September UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Cycling 2009 24–26 July UCI BMX World Championships Adelaide, South Australia
Cycling 2010 29 September – 3 October UCI Road World Championships Melbourne and Geelong, Victoria
Cycling 2012 4–8 April UCI Track Cycling World Championships Melbourne
Cycling 2017 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships Cairns, Queensland
Cycling 2022 18 - 25 September UCI Road World Championships Wollongong, New South Wales
Cycling 2026 UCI BMX World Championships Brisbame, Queensland
Football 1981 3–18 October FIFA World Youth Championship Australia 16 288 443,094
Football 1993 5–20 March FIFA World Youth Championship Australia 16 288 478,003
Football 2015 9–31 January AFC Asian Cup Australia 16 368 649,705
Football 2023 10 July–20 August 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 32 736
Gliding 1974 12–27 January World Championships Waikerie, South Australia
Gliding 1987 World Championships Benalla, Victoria
Gliding 2001 7–27 January World Championships Gawler, South Australia
Gliding 2016 January World Championships Benalla, Victoria
Golf 1959 18–21 November Men's World Cup Melbourne
Golf 1968 9–12 October Eisenhower Trophy Melbourne
Golf 1972 8–12 November Men's World Cup Melbourne 44 88
Golf 1988 8–11 December Men's World Cup Melbourne
Golf 1998 1–13 December Presidents Cup Melbourne
Golf 2001 3–7 January WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship Melbourne
Golf 2007 7–9 December Lexus Cup Perth
Golf 2008 16–19 October Eisenhower Trophy Adelaide
Golf 2011 17–20 November Presidents Cup Melbourne
Golf 2013 21-24 November World Cup of Golf Melbourne
Golf 2016 24–27 November World Cup of Golf Melbourne
Golf 2018 22–25 November World Cup of Golf Melbourne
Golf 2019 12–15 December Presidents Cup Melbourne [34]
Golf 2028 Presidents Cup Melbourne [35]
Golf 2040 Presidents Cup Melbourne
Gymnastics 1994 19–24 April World Artistic Gymnastics Championships Brisbane, Queensland 54 281[36]
Gymnastics 1998 9–11 October Trampoline World Championships Sydney
Gymnastics 2005 21–27 November World Artistic Gymnastics Championships Melbourne 53 300 40,000[37]
Field hockey 1994 23 November – 4 December Men's World Cup Sydney 12
Field hockey 1990 2 – 13 May Women's World Cup Sydney 12
Field hockey 2002 24 November – 8 December Women's World Cup Perth, Western Australia 16
Karate 1986 21–25 November World Championships Sydney
Lacrosse 1974 World Men's Championships Melbourne 4
Lacrosse 1989 Women's World Cup Perth, Western Australia
Lacrosse 1990 World Men's Championships Perth, Western Australia 5
Lacrosse 2002 7–15 July World Men's Championships Perth, Western Australia 16
Lifesaving 1956 World Championships Torquay, Victoria
Lifesaving 1956 World Championships Torquay, Victoria
Lifesaving 1988 April World Championships Gold Coast, Queensland
Lifesaving 2000 March World Championships Sydney
Lifesaving 2006 10–26 February World Championships Geelong, Victoria and
Lorne, Victoria		 32 3,497 [38]
Lifesaving 2012 7–18 November World Championships Adelaide, South Australia 40 4,398 [39]
Lifesaving 2016 26 October – 6 November World Championships Sydney Perth, Western Australia
Modern pentathlon 1966 World Championships Melbourne
Modern pentathlon 1985 World Championships (Men) Melbourne
Netball 1967 World Championships Perth, Western Australia
Netball 1991 July World Championships Sydney 20
Netball 2015 7–16 August World Cup Sydney
Netball 2027 World Cup Sydney
Orienteering 1985 4–6 September World Orienteering Championships Bendigo, Victoria
Polo 2001 World Polo Championship Melbourne, Victoria
Polo 2017 tba World Polo Championship Sydney
Roller skating 1991 16–20 October Artistic Skating World Championship Sydney
Roller skating 2007 28 October – 10 November Artistic Skating World Championship Gold Coast, Queensland
Rowing 1990 31 October – 4 November World Rowing Championships Lake Barrington, Tasmania
Rugby league 1957 World Cup Sydney and Brisbane, Queensland
Rugby league 1968 World Cup Australia and New Zealand
Rugby league 1977 May – June World Cup Australia and New Zealand 4 109,688
Rugby league 1985–1988 World Cup Australia Several countries including Australia
Rugby league 1989–1992 World Cup Australia Several countries including Australia
Rugby league 2017 World Cup Australia and New Zealand
Rugby union 1987 22 May – 20 June World Cup Australia and New Zealand 16
Rugby union 2003 10 October – 22 November World Cup Australia 20 600 1,837,547
Rugby union 2021 Women's World Cup Newcastle, New South Wales
Rugby union 2027 10 September – 23 October 2027 Rugby World Cup Various cities
Rugby union 2029 TBA 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup Various cities
Rafting 2019 World Rafting Championships Tully, Queensland
Sailing 1987 31 January – 4 February 1987 America's Cup Fremantle, Western Australia
Sailing 2011 3–18 December ISAF World Championships Perth, Western Australia 76 789
Shooting 1991 7–13 November World Shotgun Championships Perth, Western Australia
Short track speed skating 1991 World Championships Sydney
Softball 1965 February First Women's World Championship Melbourne
Squash 1977 11–21 October Men's World Open Championship Adelaide, South Australia
Squash 1983 4–10 October Women's World Open Championship Perth, Western Australia
Squash 1983 October Men's World Open Championship Adelaide, South Australia
Squash 1990 7–14 March Women's World Open Championship Sydney
Squash 1991 30 July – 4 August Men's World Open Championship Adelaide, South Australia
Squash 1997 13–19 October Women's World Open Championship Sydney
Squash 2001 11–19 October Women's World Open Championship Melbourne
Swimming 1988 FINA World Masters Championships Brisbane, Queensland
Swimming 2008 18–25 April FINA World Masters Championships Perth, Western Australia
Swimming 2022 13-18 December 2022 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Melbourne, Victoria
Triathlon 1991 12–13 October ITU World Championships Gold Coast, Queensland
Triathlon 1997 16 November ITU World Championships Perth, Western Australia
Triathlon 2000 30 April ITU World Championships Perth, Western Australia
Triathlon 2009 9–13 September ITU World Championship Series Grand Final Gold Coast, Queensland
Triathlon 2018 ITU World Championship Series Grand Final Gold Coast, Queensland [40]
Volleyball 1975 12–20 August Asian Men's Volleyball Championship Melbourne 7
Volleyball 1991 11–16 August Asian Men's Volleyball Championship Perth, Western Australia 15
Water skiing 1965 World Championships Gold Coast, Queensland
Water skiing 2017 September World Championships Adelaide, South Australia
Weightlifting 1993 11–21 November World Championships Melbourne 57 289
Wheelchair rugby 2018 5-10 August World Wheelchair Rugby Championships Sydney
Wrestling 2012 11–21 November Oceania Wrestling Championships Sydney

Annual international sporting events

International events that are held in Australia annually. These events include both Australian and overseas athletes and teams.

Most national teams including Men's cricket, Southern Stars (women's cricket), Diamonds (women's netball) Socceroos (men's football), Matildas (women's football), Kookaburras (men's hockey), Hockeyroos (women's hockey), Boomers (men's basketball), Opals (women's basketball), Stingers (women's water polo), Sharks (men's water polo) and Volleyroos (men's volleyball) often play international matches in Australia during the year.

Sport Month Held Event City
Paralympic athletics 26 January Oz Day 10K Wheelchair Road Race Sydney
Cycling January Tour Down Under South Australia
Equestrian November Australian International Three Day Event Adelaide, South Australia
Golf November Australian PGA Championship Queensland
Golf November Australian Masters Melbourne
Golf November Australian Open Sydney
Golf February Women's Australian Open Various cities
Golf February Australian Ladies Masters Gold Coast, Queensland
Formula One March Australian Grand Prix Melbourne
Motorcycle racing February Superbike World Championship Round Phillip Island, Victoria
Motorcycle racing October Australian Grand Prix Phillip Island, Victoria
Rugby union Variable Sevens World Series Various cities
Rugby union July – August The Rugby Championship (formerly Tri Nations) Various cities
Rugby union July – August Bledisloe Cup Various cities
Surfing April Bells Beach Surf Classic Bells Beach, Victoria
Tennis January Sydney International Sydney
Tennis January Brisbane International Brisbane, Queensland
Tennis January Hobart International Hobart, Tasmania
Tennis January Australian Tennis Open Melbourne
Tennis January – December Hopman Cup Perth, Western Australia
Sailing December Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Sydney / Hobart, Tasmania

See also

References

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