Adelaide OvalSeating Guide: Where to Sit & Best Seats
Adelaide Oval holds about 53,500 and hosts AFL (Crows and Power), cricket (including the day-night Test), and concerts. Seating is three grandstands — Riverbank (north), Western (members) and Eastern (largest) — plus The Hill, a heritage grass embankment. Bays use 100s (Level 1) up to 500s (upper). The Riverbank Stand sits behind the bowler’s arm for cricket; halfway-line lower bays are best for AFL.
Configurations
AFL (Australian Football)
Home ground for the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide. Full oval using the whole bowl (Riverbank, Western, Eastern + The Hill); ~50,083 seated + ~3,500 standing on The Hill. Centre-wing seats on the Eastern/Western sides are the prime AFL vantage.
Cricket (Test / ODI / BBL)
Hosts Tests, ODIs and Adelaide Strikers BBL. The Riverbank Stand is behind the bowler’s arm (TV-style straight view down the pitch). SACA members occupy the Western Stand; The Hill is open GA grass.
Concerts
Main stage at one end with the playing surface as GA standing or reserved floor seating, reducing to roughly half the bowl facing the stage. Most concerts are evening events under lights. Ticketek is the authorised agent (some promoter concerts use Ticketmaster).
Seating levels explained
Riverbank Stand (Northern)
Level 1 (100s); mid 200s/300s; Level 5 Bays 520–527Multi-level northern stand (Levels 1–5) facing down the ground; behind the bowler’s arm for cricket. Level 5 carries the Lindsay Head Terrace rooftop bar.
Pros: Straight 'behind-the-bowler' cricket view like the TV broadcast; city/riverbank skyline backdrop; elevated Level 5 panoramas.
Cons: For AFL it is an end-on rather than side-on view; upper Level 5 is high and far; some Level 1 front areas can be sunny.
Western Stand (Members')
Western Bays incl. reserved 304–305~14,000-seat western grandstand (built 2010), largely a members’ facility (SACA cricket and football members).
Pros: Well covered and shaded (good for hot-day cricket and afternoon sun); side-on view; premium members’ amenities.
Cons: Largely restricted to members or guests; much is non-allocated first-come on big cricket days; Bays 304–305 are reserved-only.
Eastern Stand
Level 1 (100s), Level 3 (300s), Level 5 (500s, e.g. 520–544)Largest grandstand (~19,000 seats) across multiple levels (named sub-stands: Gavin Wanganeen, Jack Oatey, Max Basheer, Fos Williams, Mark Ricciuto). Faces west.
Pros: Side-on AFL view facing the action; Level 500 (520–544) is mostly covered and shaded when the sun is high; lower Level 1 is close to play.
Cons: Lower/closer eastern seats catch afternoon/evening sun before shade arrives; back rows of upper levels are distant; corner bays are angled.
The Hill (Northern Mound)
General admission grass (~3,500)Historic grass embankment beneath the heritage scoreboard and Moreton Bay figs. Standing/sitting GA, used for cricket and casual viewing.
Pros: Cheapest, most relaxed and atmospheric; iconic heritage setting; flexible picnic-style viewing.
Cons: Uncovered and exposed; in Dec–Jan the sun is too high for the trees to shade it early afternoon; no allocated seating or backrest; distant end-on view.
Best seats at Adelaide Oval
| For | Sections | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall (AFL) | Eastern or Western Stand lower-level (Level 1/100s) near the centre wing / halfway line | Front-row lower bays around the halfway line give the closest, most central side-on view — the most sought-after AFL seats. |
| Best value (AFL) | Mid-level (200s/300s) and upper front-row bays around the halfway line | Middle-level halfway-line seats are more affordable with a good central view; front-row upper seats are among the cheapest with a wide full-ground view. |
| Best for cricket | Riverbank Stand (behind the bowler’s arm) and Western Stand members’ bays | Riverbank gives the straight TV-style line down the pitch; the Western/members stands are side-on, shaded and comfortable for long days. |
| Best atmosphere / budget cricket | The Hill (Northern Mound) | Cheapest GA tickets (~$30–$50), iconic relaxed grass setting under the heritage scoreboard and figs, known for vibrant atmosphere. |
| Best for shade (hot-day cricket) | Western Stand (Chappell/Bradman/Sir Edwin Smith) and Eastern Level 500 Bays 520–544 | Western stands are well covered and shaded; Level 500 east is mostly under cover and shaded when the sun is high. |
| Best premium / views | Lindsay Head Terrace (Riverbank Level 5) and Corporate Suites | Elevated semi-covered rooftop terrace with panoramic Riverbank and city skyline views plus hospitality. |
Seats to avoid & obstructed views
- Last/back rows of the upper levels (Level 5 / 500s back rows): Far from the surface with a distant, wide-angle view; least detail of play.
- Extreme corner bays in any stand: Angled, side-on sightlines with a limited view of the full ground.
- The Hill (Northern Mound): Uncovered and sun-exposed (figs give little shade in Dec–Jan), no allocated seats or backrests, distant end-on view.
- Eastern Stand lower bays on sunny afternoons; Riverbank Level 1 front areas: Catch direct afternoon/evening sun before shade arrives; can be hot and glare-affected during day cricket and twilight matches.
Premium & hospitality
Corporate Suites
Private suites and enclosed boxes offering Adelaide Oval's top-tier corporate entertainment and catered hospitality with reserved viewing.
Lindsay Head Terrace
Riverbank Stand Level 5 semi-covered rooftop bar/terrace with panoramic Riverbank and city skyline views; Adelaide's largest private undercover open-air rooftop bar (up to ~2,000 guests for functions).
Western Stand members' areas
Chappell Stand, Sir Donald Bradman Pavilion and Sir Edwin Smith Stand — members'-only covered western seating for SACA cricket and football members; shaded, side-on. Bays 304–305 reserved for specific seat holders.
The Hill Terrace / Northern Mound hospitality
Timber-decked hospitality space on The Hill beneath the heritage scoreboard and Moreton Bay figs, used for cocktail and dining packages.
Function rooms
Part of 25 purpose-built function/hospitality spaces (e.g. William Magarey, Ian McLachlan, Gil Langley rooms) used for match-day dining and corporate packages.
Accessibility & companion seating
Adelaide Oval provides 275 wheelchair spaces across all public and corporate levels (each ground-marked) with flexible adjacent seating for assistants/companions, plus 119 Easy Access seats for patrons using mobility aids. All gates (South, East, North, West) have ramps and lifts; staff escort patrons via an accessible platform on the western concourse. 41 unisex accessible toilets, hearing loops, a sensory space and a Changing Places bathroom. Accessible bookings via Ticketek’s Special Needs Hotline 1300 665 915.
Where: Easy Access seats on East Stand (Levels 1, 3, 5), South/Riverbank Stand (Levels 1, 3, 5), the Northern Mound and corporate areas; wheelchair spaces spread across all public and corporate levels.
Frequently asked questions
What is Adelaide Oval's seating capacity?
About 53,500 in total — roughly 50,083 seated plus ~3,500 standing on The Hill. The record attendance is 72,000, set during a 1927 Royal Visit.
What are the main stands at Adelaide Oval?
Three grandstands plus The Hill: the Riverbank Stand (north, Levels 1–5, behind the bowler’s arm for cricket), the Western Stand (members’, ~14,000 seats, incl. Chappell Stand, Bradman Pavilion and Sir Edwin Smith Stand), the Eastern Stand (~19,000 seats, the largest), and the grass Northern Mound known as The Hill.
How does the bay numbering work?
Bays use three-digit numbers by level: 100s are Level 1 (lower bowl, closest to the fence), 200s and 300s are the mid levels (corporate and members), and 500s are the upper level. Numbering starts in the north-west corner and increases anti-clockwise.
Where are the best seats for AFL?
Lower-level (Level 1) front-row bays around the halfway line (centre wing) in the Eastern or Western stands give the closest, most central side-on view and are the most in-demand. Mid-level and upper front-row halfway-line seats are better value for a similar angle.
Where are the best seats for cricket?
The Riverbank Stand sits behind the bowler’s arm for a straight TV-style view down the pitch. The Western Stand members’ bays are well shaded and side-on, and The Hill is the cheap, atmospheric GA option under the heritage scoreboard.
Which seats are shaded and which catch the sun?
The Western Stand and Eastern Level 500 (Bays 520–544) are well covered and stay shaded when the sun is high. For 10am cricket starts, east-side bays (130–141, 330–340, 530–544) are shaded; for evening matches the western bays (100–113, 200–215, 300–315) are shaded. The Hill is uncovered with little tree shade in Dec–Jan.
Is there accessible seating?
Yes — 275 wheelchair spaces across all public and corporate levels plus 119 Easy Access seats (East and South/Riverbank stands Levels 1, 3, 5, the Northern Mound and corporate areas). All gates have ramps and lifts. Book via Ticketek's Special Needs Hotline on 1300 665 915.
Who sells Adelaide Oval tickets and can I choose my seat?
Ticketek is the authorised agent (some promoter concerts use Ticketmaster). Reserved-seat events give an allocated bay/row/seat; The Hill and GA tickets are standing/unallocated. Resale tickets (Viagogo/Stubhub) are not guaranteed entry.