For over a century, Eden Park has been the home of New Zealand rugby and cricket – it’s a stadium steeped in sporting history, having hosted some of the nation’s greatest sporting triumphs. Located in the heart of Auckland, it’s a venue that always lives up to the occasion.
If you think there’s no such thing as home-field advantage, think again.
Eden Park, New Zealand’s national stadium and spiritual home to the All Blacks, New Zealand national rugby team since 1921, is considered one of the most challenging assignments for visiting rugby teams.
The All Blacks have not lost a match while playing there since 1994 – a record breaking run of 47 matches so far.
Nestled in the suburbs of Auckland, Eden Park has hosted two men’s Rugby World Cup tournaments, in 1984 and 2011 – both won by New Zealand. It also played host to the final of the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup – and yes, New Zealand won that, too.
It’s not only rugby world cups that the stadium plays host to though. Eden Park hosted nine 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup games, including the opening match. In front of a crowd of over 42,000 – a record attendance for either a men's or a women's football match in New Zealand – the Football Ferns beat Norway to record their first ever win at the world cup. The record was broken a further three times throughout the tournament, with 43,217 fans packing into the stadium to watch the semi-final.
"Eden Park is a place of national importance," says Desire Chatadza, one of our service leaders on the North Island of New Zealand. "It’s our country’s largest stadium and puts New Zealand on the map in terms of hosting major events. On matchdays, the atmosphere is unbelievable, you can really tell how much it means to the country."
We’ve partnered with Eden Park since 2001, helping with the stadium’s reconstruction of the South stand in preparation for the men's Rugby World Cup in 2011.
"It's a multipurpose stadium. Besides rugby, the ground also hosts football and cricket matches there," explains Desire. "More recently, Eden Park has hosted concerts by Ed Sheeran, Billy Joel, Guns ‘n Roses, and our own Six60 have also played there. The venue has been a huge success for concerts."
With a capacity of 50,000, providing smooth access and keeping people moving is key to the matchday experience.
Around the ground, we've got 12 elevators, and 3 wheelchair lifts on-site to help provide accessibility throughout – meaning everyone who visits can enjoy the experience.
Eden Park also has access to a real-time overview of its elevators’ activities with Schindler Ahead ActionBoard – providing increased transparency on operations and limiting any impact of disruption.
Large-scale events – whether sport events, or concerts – are always a logistical challenge, so we’re proud to be helping to keep operations running smoothly. Three dedicated service elevators – one in each of the North, South, and West stands – help keep things moving, whether it’s catering, medical equipment, or sound equipment. These stands also host executive boxes, so the ability to provide supplies and smooth mobility is key to first-class service.
In order to keep everything running like clockwork, one of our dedicated technicians, David Holden, is always on hand. While David also takes care of other units besides Eden Park, he's the go-to technician for all maintenance work.
"We take pride in working with Eden Park," says David. "It’s an iconic venue and we’ve got a great relationship with Eden Park management. Apart from routine maintenance and attending call-outs, we also get invited to be on standby at events. With big events like the All Blacks matches, or with concerts like Ed Sheeran, we always have two technicians on-site. It helps keep the attention on the event and everything running smoothly behind the scenes."
In late January last year, Auckland was affected by heavy flooding – at one point a month’s worth of rain fell in just 24 hours. Parts of Eden Park were underwater, just weeks before Ed Sheeran’s concert was due to take place.
"The service elevators were affected by the floods and there were a few events lined up, which could not have happened without them. So, there was a huge amount of pressure to get these units back up and running," says David. "I'm happy to say our team delivered exceptionally well on getting that realized."
Eden Park facilities manager Lance Johns added: "Ensuring all our elevators operate seamlessly during events is critical to ensuring attendees have an exceptional experience and our team are able to work effectively. Schindler provides this level of assurance and they've been invaluable in ensuring smooth operations. What makes a difference is our shared commitment to excellence and this is reflected in their quick response times and approach to innovation. I value our partnership and look forward to continuing elevating the standards of service at Eden Park to create a safer and more enjoyable environment for everyone."