Watch: Trees and big screens signal business end of construction

Landscaping and big screens are being installed at One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha after another big month of progress on site.

In the video above, Project Director Kent Summerfield details the work getting underway in the stadium grounds.

Around 10,000 native tress and groundcover will be put in over the coming months, in a mixture of raingardens, garden beds and planters.

Work is also on track inside the stadium, with the fit-out of 32 food and beverage outlets progressing nicely.

The video also shows the progress on the LED screen installations, which started this month, and a look inside one of the coaches' boxes on the top floor of the west stand.

One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha will have two replay screens, each around 150m² in size, along with 770m of LED ribbon boards around the stands.

The project remains on budget and the stadium is on track to open in April 2026.

Faces of Te Kaha: Maricris Gudes 

Position: Construction Project Manager, Topcoat Specialist Coatings Ltd 

Day to day I... manage the whole scope of the Topcoat coatings project and monitor if progress is on schedule and within budget. We work on painting, epoxy, concrete sealing and waterproofing.  

The best part of my job is… working with other contractors and clients. Working under pressure with the boys and being able to get the work done on time. 

Past projects: the stadium is my second major project, the first was the Dunedin Health Hub. 

Outside of work I… have a ten-month-old daughter and partner who motivate me. 

Progress update

It's been another busy month on site. Check out the latest progress snapshots below.

The stadium grounds are starting to take shape. Landscaping is underway at the southern end of the site, along Tuam Street. The kerbs have been poured for pathways, lighting is being installed and the first of around 10,000 trees and groundcover have been planted.

The photo above also shows one set of external stairs, which are almost finished.

The roof installation continues to track well, with the clear section progressing from south to north. The stadium will be covered, with much of the roof made of a clear material called Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), which is installed in two layers. These layers form an air cushion which which allows natural daylight through to support the turf growth.

This month, the frames for the replay screens have started to be installed. The stadium will have two 150m² replay screens, one in the south-west corner and one in the north-east corner. The next step is the electronics.

The ribbon boards that sit around the seating bowl are also being installed. There will be 770m of ribbon boards.

The exterior cladding is well past the halfway mark now. The southern, eastern and western sides are finished, with only the northern section shown above to go.

The food and beverage outlets are coming together. The one above is in the south stand on the level one concourse.

Above is a look inside one of the coaches' box on the top floor of the west stand. There are two rows of desks for coaching staff. The top floor of the west stand also houses the media, match officials and communications equipment. 

People power: 2 million work hour milestone

It certainly takes a village to build a stadium. Over 3,200 people have been employed across the project to date, with around 400 currently working on site each day.

As of July, the team have collectively racked up over 2 million work hours on the project.

It's been a huge effort of everyone involved to get the project to this point, and as the team ramps up for the homestretch of construction, it's great to see lead contractor BESIX Watpac keeping a focus on worker wellbeing. 

From supporting a range of charitable causes, to regular team get-togethers, keeping everyone connected is a key factor in the success of the project.

Te Kaha Streets progress update

The water network and road upgrades around the stadium are finished!

Lichfield Street (pictured above) has been transformed into a multi-use civic space, with seating, bike stands and lighting installed.

Barbadoes Street, Tuam Street and Madras Street on the block around the stadium have been upgraded with new footpaths, gardens, pedestrian crossings, and street and traffic lights.

The final layer of asphalt on the footpaths around the stadium will be completed later in the year, and will tie in with the landscaping works currently underway within the stadium grounds.

Site progress photos

What to expect over the coming months

Due to the huge size of the project, different stages of work will overlap to streamline the process. That means as one phase of work progresses across the site (working from south to north), the next phase will follow closely behind it.

Q3 2025 - The installation of the roof cladding will continue. Landscaping will progress towards the northern end of the site, fit-out works will continue within the stands and final services commissioning will commence. Seating installation will continue and preparations will progress ahead of the turf being laid. LED big screens and ribbon boards will start to be installed.

Q4 2025 - Many workstreams will start to wrap up this quarter, including the fit-out of the stands, landscaping works, roof cladding, and seat installation. Work will continue on establishing the turf and installing the LED ribbon boards. The final services commissioning and testing will continue.