Kings Park Stadium

"ABSA Stadium" redirects here. For other uses, see ABSA Stadium (disambiguation).

Kings Park Stadium (known as Hollywoodbets Kings Park for sponsorship reasons since 2022),^[8] colloquially known as the Shark Tank, is a stadium located in the Kings Park Sporting Precinct in Durban, South Africa.

Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium

Kings Park Stadium
Shark Tank
Former names	ABSA Stadium (2000–2010) Mr Price Kings Park (2011–2012) Growthpoint Kings Park (2013–2018) Jonsson Kings Park (2018–2022)
Address	Jacko Jackson Drive, Kings Park Sporting Precinct, Stamford Hill
Location	Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Coordinates	29°49′30″S 31°1′47″E
Public transit	Metrorail KwaZulu-Natal
Owner	Natal Sharks (Pty.) Ltd. (formerly)[1] eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality
Executive suites	350[1]
Capacity	52,500–56,000 (regular capacity)[2][3][4][5] 60,000 (max capacity)[1]
Record attendance	57,000 (South Africa–New Zealand; 2002 Tri Nations Series)[6][7]
Field shape	Rectangular (Football, Rugby union)
Surface	Grass
Construction
Built	1891 (former ground) 1958 (modern ground)[3]
Renovated	1976;[5] 1984; 1993–1995
Tenants
Sharks (URC)[a] (1996–present) Sharks (Currie Cup) (Currie Cup) (1956–present) South Africa national rugby union team (various matches)

The stadium was originally built with a capacity of 12,000 and opened in 1958,^[9][10] extensively renovated in the 1980s and then again in time for the 1995 Rugby World Cup. It currently has a capacity of 46,000,^[11] after renovations reduced the capacity from 54,000^[9] and is the home ground of the Sharks. The stadium is also used by Durban-based Premier Soccer League football (soccer) clubs, as well as for large football finals.

It was previously also known as the ABSA Stadium (between 2000 and 2010),^[12] Mr Price Kings Park Stadium (in 2011 and 2012),^[13] Growthpoint Kings Park (between 2013 and early 2017), and Jonsson Kings Park (between 2018 and 2021) due to sponsorship deals.

1995 Rugby World Cup

The stadium was used as one of the venues for the 1995 Rugby World Cup held in South Africa. The stadium hosted three pool games in Pool B. The stadium also hosted one quarter final with France defeating Ireland 36–12. A very wet semi final was played here on 17 June 1995 between South Africa and France.

Date	Team	Result	Team	Round	Attendance
27 May 1995	Argentina	18–24	England	Pool B	30,000
31 May 1995	England	27–20	Italy		21,000
4 June 1995	England	44–22	Western Samoa		20,000
10 June 1995	France	36–12	Ireland	Quarter-final	18,000
17 June 1995	South Africa	19–15	France	Semi-final	18,000

1996 African Cup of Nations

The stadium was one of four venues for the 1996 African Cup of Nations. It hosted 3 group matches, a quarter final and semi final.

Date	Team	Result	Team	Round	Attendance
16 January 1996	Gabon	1–2	Liberia	Group C	5,000
19 January 1996	Gabon	2–0	Zaire		4,000
24 January 1996	Angola	3–3	Cameroon	Group A	6,000
28 January 1996	Gabon	1–1 (a.e.t.) (1–4 (p))	Tunisia	Quarter-final	4,000
31 January 1996	Zambia	2–4	Tunisia	Semi-final	5,000

Other events

Artist	Tour	Date
Whitney Houston	The Bodyguard World Tour	8 November 1994
Roxette	Crash! Boom! Bang! Tour	6 January 1995
Bon Jovi	These Days Tour	3 December 1995
Tina Turner	Wildest Dreams Tour	18 April 1996
Gloria Estefan	Evolution World Tour	20 March 1997
Michael Jackson	HIStory World Tour (the last show of the tour)	15 October 1997
Janet Jackson	The Velvet Rope Tour	19 November 1998
Live	The Distance to Here Tour	20 June 2000
R.E.M.	Around the Sun Tour	8 March 2005
Metallica	Escape from the Studio '06	21 March 2006
Robbie Williams	Close Encounters Tour	10 April 2006
Celine Dion	Taking Chances World Tour	20 February 2008
Rod Stewart	South Africa Tour	4 December 2008

Springbok matches

Date	Opponent	Result	Winner	Competition	Attendance
21 July 1962	British Lions	3–0	South Africa	1962 British Lions tour of South Africa	40,000
23 May 1964	Wales	24–3	South Africa	1964 Wales tour of Kenya and South Africa	35,000
15 July 1967	France	26–3	South Africa	1967 France tour of South Africa	39,000
16 August 1969	Australia	16–9	South Africa	1969 Australia tour of South Africa	40,000
19 June 1971	France	8–8	draw	1971 France tour of South Africa	40,000
24 July 1976	New Zealand	16–7	South Africa	1976 New Zealand tour of South Africa	46,000
3 May 1980	South American XV	18–9	South Africa	1980 South American XV tour of South Africa	37,000
6 June 1981	Ireland	12–10	South Africa	1981 Ireland tour of South Africa	38,600
17 May 1986	New Zealand Cavaliers	18–19	New Zealand Cavaliers	1986 New Zealand Cavaliers tour of South Africa	42,000
26 June 1993	France	20–20	draw	1993 France tour of South Africa	45,000
17 June 1995	France	19–15	South Africa	1995 Rugby World Cup	49,773
17 August 1996	New Zealand	19–23	New Zealand	1996 New Zealand tour of South Africa	52,000
28 June 1997	British Lions	15–18	British Lions	1997 British Lions tour of South Africa	50,000
15 August 1998	New Zealand	24–23	South Africa	1998 Tri Nations Series	45,000
19 June 1999	Italy	101–0	South Africa	1999 Italy tour of South Africa	36,210
26 August 2000	Australia	18–19	Australia	2000 Tri Nations Series	52,000
23 June 2001	France	20–15	South Africa	2001 France tour of South Africa and New Zealand	44,794
10 August 2002	New Zealand	23–30	New Zealand	2002 Tri Nations Series	57,000
7 June 2003	Scotland	29–25	South Africa	2003 Scotland tour of South Africa	37,528
21 August 2004	Australia	23–19	South Africa	2004 Tri Nations Series	52,247
18 June 2005	France	30–30	draw	2005 France tour of South Africa and Australia	50,419
10 June 2006	Scotland	36–16	South Africa	2006 Scotland tour of South Africa	32,066
23 June 2007	New Zealand	21–26	New Zealand	2007 Tri Nations Series	51,861
23 August 2008	Australia	15–27	Australia	2008 Tri Nations Series	48,123
20 June 2009	British & Irish Lions	26–21	South Africa	2009 British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa	49,055
1 August 2009	New Zealand	31–19	South Africa	2009 Tri Nations Series	43,149
13 August 2011	Australia	9–14	Australia	2011 Tri Nations Series	47,850
9 June 2012	England	22–17	South Africa	2012 England tour of South Africa	43,052
8 June 2013	Italy	44–10	South Africa	Quadrangular Tournament	23,663
14 June 2014	Wales	38–16	South Africa	2014 Wales tour of South Africa	37,182
8 August 2015	Argentina	25–37	Argentina	2015 Rugby Championship	27,447
8 October 2016	New Zealand	15–57	New Zealand	2016 Rugby Championship	51,500
17 June 2017	France	37–15	South Africa	2017 France tour of South Africa	27,712
18 August 2018	Argentina	34–21	South Africa	2018 Rugby Championship	26,836
24 September 2022	Argentina	38–21	South Africa	2022 Rugby Championship	45,982
13 July 2024	Ireland	24-25	Ireland	2024 Ireland tour of South Africa	52,000

Statistics

Statistics updated to most recent match against Ireland, 13 July 2024.

Opponent	P	W	D	L	W%	F	A	Diff.
Argentina	3	2	0	1	066.67	97	79	+18
Australia	5	2	0	3	040.00	81	88	–7
British & Irish Lions	3	2	0	1	066.67	44	39	+5
England	1	1	0	0	100.00	22	17	+5
France	7	4	3	0	057.14	160	106	+54
Ireland	2	1	0	1	050.00	36	35	+1
Italy	2	2	0	0	100.00	145	10	+135
New Zealand	7	3	0	4	042.86	149	185	–36
New Zealand Cavaliers	1	0	0	1	000.00	18	19	–1
Scotland	2	2	0	0	100.00	65	41	+24
South American XV	1	1	0	0	100.00	18	9	+9
Wales	2	2	0	0	100.00	62	19	+43
Opponent	36	22	3	11	61.11	897	647	+250

Future

With the construction of the new Moses Mabhida Stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup less than 200m away, the local government had hoped that the Sharks would relocate.^[14] However, this is unlikely as they have a 50-year lease on Kings Park which runs to 2056.^[15]

Notes

1. The Sharks formerly participated in the Super Rugby competition between 1996 and 2020.