In big news for sport in the Harbour City, the Sydney Roosters are amongst five sides spread across a trio of codes in the running to play the first sporting fixture at the new Sydney Football Stadium.
The 45,000-seater stadium, known previously as Allianz Stadium, will be finishing in August after closing in 2018 for demolition and reconstruction.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the race for the first-ever sporting fixture at the revamped ground is heating up with four - perhaps even five - different stakeholders in the running to play in August 2022.
The NSW Government has confirmed that the stadium will be ready in time for the 2022 NRL Grand Final however the Moore Park arena may be completed in time for the final round of the home-and-away season when the Roosters host South Sydney.
The Roosters have been playing their home matches at the nearby Sydney Cricket Ground since the demolition and will be itching to get back onto their true home turf in time for finals 2022.
Both soccer and rugby union are very much also in the running for the occasion with the former especially set to play host to a big game should things fall into place for them.
Sydney FC are hellbent on contesting their A-League Sydney Derby against Western Sydney Wanderers at Sydney Football Stadium, as well as a potential pre-season friendly against a major European club further down the track.
The latter part of the proposal may be difficult to pull off however with the Qatar World Cup in December 2022 meaning that European leagues will be starting their 2022/23 campaigns earlier than usual.
The Matildas and Socceroos are also in the running, with the Matildas having an international break spanning from August 29 until September 6 - a perfect window to host a large scale friendly.
Finally, Rugby Australia are too interested in acting as the opening match in the form of a test between South Africa and the Wallabies to be played out in September.
NSW Sports Minister Natalie Ward confirmed the dates by which the stadium would be completed.
"Work is now on the home stretch and the stadium is on track to be finished and open by the NRL finals series next year," the minister said toย The Herald.
โItโs so exciting to see the final pieces taking shape at our fantastic new SFS. Weโre beginning to get a real feel for what fans will experience when the stadium hosts major events."
The redevelopment of Sydney Football Stadium has come in at a cost of $828 million and is set to boast some state-of-the-art features.
The exterior of the stadium will be able to change colour similar to that of the Allianz Stadium in Munich, reflecting the home team's colour wave and creating an ambient experience.
Coupled with upgraded corporate hospitality experiences and the fact that the arena is a stones throw away from Sydney's CBD, there is ample reason for sports fans to be excited about the completion of the stadium.
