It’s always exciting to see the range of competitions held across Brisbane and the Gold Coast throughout the year. The two cities are the perfect destination for major sporting events – like the NRL Super Round, the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and even the Olympics! This autumn, excited sporting enthusiasts will attend events from the NRL, Super Pacific Rugby, AFL, swimming, athletics, and more. Join in the unbeatable action and heart-stopping thrills with these exhilarating sporting events of autumn.
For more events, check out the QSAC for athletics events, the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre for swimming, the Sleeman Sports Complex for swimming, diving, and cycling, Kayo Stadium for more NRL and A-League action, and other venues around Queensland.
Here are our picks of the top sporting events of autumn in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Suncorp Stadium
Home to concerts, NRL, Super Pacific Rugby and more, Brisbane’s biggest stadium sees sporting talent from around the world battle it out on the pristine pitch. The best way to arrive at your match is to take the train to Milton Station, or arrive at Roma Street – then follow the crowds for a short walk to your destination. You can find more about events at Suncorp Stadium here.
05 March – Dolphins v Sydney Roosters
Round 1 of the 2023 NRL season will see the Dolphins take on the Sydney Roosters at Suncorp. Gates open at 1:00 pm for a 3:05 pm kick-off.
10 March – Brisbane Broncos v North Qld Cowboys
The mighty Broncos welcome the North Queensland Cowboys to their home ground for a 7:00 pm start. Gates open at 5:30 pm.
18 March – Brisbane Broncos vs St George Illawara Dragons
At 6:35 pm, the Brisbane Broncos face off against the Dragons for Round 3 of the 2023 NRL season.
19 March – Reds v Drua
The first Super Pacific Rugby match of the year at Suncorp, catch the Queensland Reds as they battle the Fijian Drua. Gates open at 2:00 pm for a 3:00 pm start.
24 March – Dolphins V Broncos
Watch the two Brisbane teams clash as the Dolphins come up against the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp. Arrive any time from 5:00 pm before the match gets underway at 7:05 pm.
31 March – Super W Reds v Force, Reds v Crusaders
The Super W Reds women will face the Force, and then the Queensland Reds will host the Canterbury Crusaders at Suncorp. Gates open at 3:45 pm, and the women play at 4:00 pm with the men’s teams facing off at 6:35 pm.
01 April – Broncos V Wests Tigers
The Brisbane Broncos host the Wests Tigers for this mighty NRL clash. Kick off will be at 6:35 pm.
07 April – Reds v Brumbies and Super W Reds v Brumbies
Catch a thrilling double-header as the Super W Reds face the Brumbies at 5:05 pm, and the men’s teams compete at 7:35 pm.
08 April – Broncos v Canberra Raiders
For Round 6, the Canberra Raiders will be travelling to Suncorp to face the Brisbane Broncos. Kick-off is at 7:35 pm.
13 April – Dolphins v Rabbitohs
Gates open at 6:15 pm for a 7:50 pm start as the Dolphins face the Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp.
23 April – Dolphins v Titans
The Gold Coast team will travel to Suncorp to face the Dolphins for this afternoon match. Gates open at 12:30 pm for a 2:00 pm kick-off.
24 April – Roar vs Sydney FC
Catch the first A-League match of the season to be held at Suncorp as the Roar host Sydney FC. Kick-off is at 7:00 pm.
28 April – Broncos vs Rabbitohs
It’s another home game for the Broncos as they face the Rabbitohs at Suncorp. The match begins at 8:00 pm.
29 April – Reds vs Force
The Queensland Reds will face the Force, with the game beginning at 7:35 pm. Arrive at Suncorp from 6:30 pm.
05 – 07 May – NRL magic Round
Catch the eagerly anticipated NRL Magic Round at Suncorp! All NRL teams face off in the one location. Come along to support your team, or catch the full three days of action. Find out more here.
18 May – Broncos vs Panthers
The Broncos face the current reigning champs the Penrith Panthers at home. The thrilling clash will begin at 7:50 pm.
19 May – Reds vs Blues
The Queensland Reds will go head-to-head with the mighty Auckland Blues. Gates at Suncorp Stadium open at 6:30 pm for the 7:35 pm kick-off.
20 May – Dolphins v Storm
Round 12 of the NRL will see the Storm clash with the Dolphins at Suncorp. The game starts at 7:35 pm, but get along at 6:00 pm to get comfortable before the match.
The Gabba
A beloved Brisbane institution, “The Gabba” is home to many sporting events with an emphasis on AFL and cricket. Get to your sporting events of Autumn by making use of the near-by Woolloongabba busway station. You can see what’s coming up in Woolloongabba here.
24 Mar – Lions v Demons
Round 2 of the 2023 AFL season sees the Brisbane Lion host the Demons at The Gabba. Gates open from 5:30 pm for a 6:50 pm start.
06 Apr – Lions V Collingwood
The Collingwood Magpies travel to Brisbane to face the Lions at The Gabba. Gates open at 6:00 pm, and the game will begin at 7:35 pm.
29 April – Lions vs Freemantle Dockers
Watch the Brisbane Lions face the Freemantle Dockers as the teams go head-to-head at The Gabba for an afternoon match. Get along after 12:35 pm in plenty of time for the 1:45 pm kick-off.
13 May – Lions v Essendon Bombers
It’s Round 9 of the 2023 AFL season, and the Essendon Bombers will travel to play the Brisbane Lions. Get to The Gabba at 6:00 pm for a 7:35 pm start.
20 May – Lions v Suns
Catch the local rivals at The Gabba, as the Gold Coast Suns clash with the Brisbane Lions. Gates open at 6:00 pm for a 7:35 pm start.
Cbus Super Stadium
The Cbus Super Stadium is a leading entertainment centre on the Gold Coast, home to the Gold Coast Titans and hosting many other events. Public transport is the best option for travelling to Cbus Super Stadium, with the stadium located just a short walk from Robina Station. Find out more about upcoming events here.
18 Mar – Titans v Storm
Gates open at 12:30 pm for a 2:00 pm start as the Gold Coast Titans face the Melbourne Storm.
09 April – Titans v Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons will travel to the Gold Coast for their clash against the Gold Coast Titans. Catch them at the Cbus Super Stadium, with gates opening at 2:00 pm for the 4:05 pm kick-off.
15 April – Titans v Broncos
Local rivals the Brisbane Broncos travel down the Gold Coast to battle it out with the Titans. Head to the stadium after 5:00 pm for a 7:35 pm start.
23 April – 7 News Gold Coast Running Festival
Come along and run, or cheer from the crowd! The Gold Coast Running Festival starts and begins at the Cbus Stadium, following a safe, closed-road circuit with different race lengths to choose from. Start times are below, or visit the website for more information.
RACE TIMINGS
6.00AM: Garmin ¾ Marathon
6.30AM: Half Marathon
6.45AM: 10km
7.15AM: 2.5km
8.30AM: Brooks 5km
9.15AM: Michael Shelley 1km Dash
Heritage Bank Stadium (Formerly Metricon Stadium)
Located in the Gold Coast’s Nerang, the Heritage Bank Stadium is a leading destination for entertainment and sporting events. Heritage Bank Stadium offers shuttles from various locations to make it easy to get to the game. Find out more about events at the Heritage Bank Stadium here.
March 18 – Suns v Swans
The Gold Coast Suns will clash with the Sydney Swans at the Heritage Bank Stadium this March. Gates open at 5:00 pm and the game will begin at 7:00 pm.
April 02 – Suns v. Geelong
Catch the Gold Coast Suns as they face the Geelong Cats this April. Gates open at 12:15 pm, and first bounce will be at 2:10 pm.
April 23 – Suns v. North Melbourne
North Melbourne travel to the Heritage Bank Stadium to face the Gold Coast Suns with a 7:15 pm start. Gates open at 3:00 pm.
May 6 – Suns v. Melbourne
4:35 pm at the Heritage Bank Stadium will see Melbourne face off against the Gold Coast Suns for Round 8 of the AFL Premiership.
Other Sporting Events of Autumn
24 March – 26 April – Gold Coast VolleySlam
Volleyball Australia host the 2023 VolleySlam events on the beautiful Coolangatta beaches. Head to the Gold Coast for the Australian Championships Finals this March.
30 March – 02 April – Chemist Warehouse Australian open and Under 20 Track and Field Championships
Held at QSAC, catch a range of athletics events and incredible talent at the Track and Field Championships
07 April – 15 April – 2023 Australian Age Championships
The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre will host the biggest event on the Australian swimming calendar – the 2023 Australian Age Championships. Visit their website for the line-ups and event schedule.
07 April – 09 April – 75th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race
Join in on the excitement of the 75th year of this highly anticipated race. Competitors leave Moreton Bay from Redcliffe point and race 308 nautical miles to Gladstone.
21 – 23 April – Touch Football Opens Trans-Tasman Test Series
See the best of touch football with the Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed divisions entering these best-of-three clashes between two of the top Touch Football nations. This year there will also be a Pacific Youth Touch Cup for Under-18s and Under-20s. Visit the website for more information.
26 May – 28 May – Torian Pro Crossfit games
The Pat Rafter Arena will be home to three epic days of competition as the best CrossFit athletes from Oceania attend the Torian Pro Crossfit Games. They’ll compete for a ticket to the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games, and the title of Fittest in Oceania.
Travelling in Brisbane and the Gold Coast
Our reliable service travels connects you with the Brisbane Airport and the City or the Gold Coast, with trains departing every 15 minutes during peak hours. And for a limited time, it’s more affordable than ever! Check out our Return for Free* offer here.
Once you have arrived, you can use a smart card for travel, or you can purchase a paper ticket. Visitors should check out the go seeQ card, which allows you unlimited travel for 3 or 5 consecutive days on buses, trains, ferries, and trams. It also includes 2 Airtrain journeys to/from the Brisbane Airport. The go explore smartcard allows you travel in the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast for up to 8 days, but you don’t have to use them consecutively.
You can easily get around with a go card – just touch on at your station of departure and touch off when you arrive at your destination. The go card is accepted on all Translink transport throughout Greater Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
To purchase your smartcards or to find out more, head to the nearest Airtrain counter. You’ll also be able to purchase tickets for travel, attractions, and events around South East Queensland.
Getting to Your Game
After your Airtrain journey to Brisbane or the Gold Coast, you can use public transport to get to all of the major sporting venues. Translink’s Journey Planner is a great way to plan your travel.
In many cases, the cost of regular travel using public transport is included in your ticket, allowing you to travel to and from the game with no additional travel costs. See your ticket for more information.
Sporting Events of Autumn
There is always unmissable, year-round sporting excitement in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and this autumn is no exception. Get involved with the thrills and spills, and cheer on your team as you join with the crowds and enjoy all the action.
If you’re travelling to Brisbane and the Gold Coast, we’re proud to be your connection between the Brisbane Airport and our two beautiful cities. For reliable, comfortable, on-time service – travel with Airtrain and start your autumn filled with sporting adventure.
