Mount Smart Stadium is getting a seating boost ahead of Auckland FC’s A-League semi-final. An extra 2,700 seats will be added to the stadium’s north end in time for the second leg of the semi-final, scheduled for Saturday, May 24.
Currently, the stadium holds 24,500 people. The expansion will raise the capacity to help meet growing demand from fans.
If Auckland FC reaches the A-League Grand Final and earns the right to host it on Saturday, May 31, another 800 seats will be added.
Auckland FC has enjoyed strong home support all season. Their average home crowd is 18,000—the highest in the league. The club sold out four games, including a record crowd of 27,009 during a derby match against Wellington.
Their attendance numbers are double the league average and have helped drive a 9 percent increase in league-wide attendance this season.
“The fans in Auckland, and across the league, have been fantastic this season,” said A-League Executive Chair Stephen Conroy. “We’re on track to record the highest attended season since 2016/17.”
This weekend is expected to push total attendance for the season past 1.5 million for the first time since the 2018/19 season.
The A-League 2025 Finals Series begins this weekend with two sudden-death elimination games. The winners will move on to face Auckland FC or Melbourne City in the semi-finals. These two teams finished at the top of the regular season standings and earned a first-round bye.
As the regular season champions, Auckland FC will play the lowest-ranked elimination final winner in a two-legged semi-final. The first leg will be away, with the second leg at Mount Smart Stadium.
The highest-ranked semi-final winner will earn the right to host the 2025 A-League Grand Final.
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