Porritt Stadium

{{Short description|Stadium in Chartwell, Hamilton, New Zealand}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2022}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Porritt Stadium

| nickname =

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| location = 78 Crosby Rd, Hamilton, New Zealand, New Zealand

| broke_ground =

| opened =

| owner = Hamilton City Council

| operator = Hamilton City Council

| surface = Grass Pitch

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| tenants = Hamilton Wanderers AFC (–present)
Waikato FC (2011–2013)

| capacity = 2,700

| coordinates = {{Coord|-37.756159|175.291127|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| dimensions =

}}

Porritt Stadium (or Porritt Park), is a multi-purpose stadium in the suburb of Chartwell in Hamilton, New Zealand. It is used for football matches and athletics and is the home stadium of Hamilton Wanderers. The main field is surrounded by a national grade athletics track.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=May 2002|title=Porritt, Arthur Espie|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5p34/porritt-arthur-espie|access-date=2022-06-01|website=teara.govt.nz|language=en-NZ}}

The stadium is named for Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt.{{Cite web|title=Stadium and Sports Venues|url=https://hamilton.govt.nz/parks-recreation-and-community-spaces/sports-parks/detail/porritt-stadium/|access-date=2022-06-01|website=hamilton.govt.nz|language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web|title=New Zealand's top Olympic athletics moments|url=https://athletics.org.nz/new-zealands-top-olympic-athletics-moments/|access-date=2022-06-01|website=athletics.org.nz|language=en-NZ}}

Porritt Stadium hosted the 2022 New Zealand Special Olympics National Summer Games.{{Cite web|title=Special Olympics National Summer Games 2022|url=https://www.waikatonz.com/events/special-olympics-national-summer-games/|access-date=2022-06-01|website=waikatonz.com|language=en-NZ}} It was formerly used in the New Zealand Football Championship as Hamilton's and Waikato’s home ground.

History

In 2015, Porritt Stadium was upgraded and small stands were installed due to it being a training ground for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup.{{Cite web|title=A bit more about us...|url=https://hamiltonwanderers.co.nz/club-info/about-us/|access-date=2022-06-01|website=Hamilton Wanderers AFC|language=en-NZ}}

In September 2023 FIFA announced that Gower Park would be a venue-specific training site for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. $600,000 was spent on upgrading the pitch, lights and changing rooms that were built around the 1970's.{{Cite web|title=The grounds that will get upgrades as part of $19 million plan for Women’s World Cup|url=https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2022/09/27/the-grounds-that-will-get-upgrades-as-part-of-19-million-plan-for-womens-world-cup/|website=friendsoffootballnz.com|language=en-NZ|date=27 September 2022|access-date=29 January 2024}}{{Cite web|title=Funding injection for Hamilton sports parks|url=https://insidegovernment.co.nz/funding-injection-for-hamilton-sports-parks/|website=Inside Government NZ|language=en-NZ|date=28 September 2022|access-date=29 January 2024}}{{Cite web|title=Hamilton change sheds glammed up for FIFA World Cup|url=https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/nz-news/350030861/hamilton-change-sheds-glammed-fifa-world-cup|website=Waikato Times|language=en-NZ|date=7 July 2023|access-date=29 January 2024}}{{Cite web|title=FIFA World Cup: Facility upgrades offer community teams 'quality experience' too|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/493299/fifa-world-cup-facility-upgrades-offer-community-teams-quality-experience-too|website=Waikato Times|language=en-NZ|date=6 July 2023|access-date=29 January 2024}}

References