New photos show the sad state of Newlands Rugby Stadium in Cape Town

Empty stands, an overgrown field, and water-damaged walls are what greet you when you visit Newlands Rugby Stadium in Cape Town.

The once iconic venue hosted many international, Super Rugby, and provincial games – including a record-setting victory for the Springboks in 2007 when they beat Namibia 105-13.

It was also regarded as the second-oldest rugby stadium in the world, having hosted its first game in 1890 – Villager versus Stellenbosch.

According to a report from the Stormers website, the game was played in such muddy conditions that the curtain-raiser game had to be cancelled.

In the decades which followed, Newlands was upgraded and redeveloped to take it to a capacity of over 51,000 fans.

It was used for the 1995 Rugby World Cup, hosting four games, and the Springboks recorded many victories at the ground in the years which followed.

Newlands today

Today, however, Newlands is deserted – a consequence of the Stormers and Western Province Rugby moving to Cape Town Stadium in 2021.

The move was part of a plan which would see Newlands Rugby Stadium be sold for redevelopment.

This process has been fraught with many hurdles, including a court battle to declare the stadium a heritage site.

As a result, the stadium stands empty.

To assess the state of Newlands Rugby Stadium, Newsday visited the property in August 2026.

The field was overgrown in parts, and barren in others. No rugby posts were present, and the stands were baking in the sun.

Branding boards from previous advertisers were still present, along with directional signage and the names of the stands and suites.

The street-facing structures were intact and in certain places looked in good condition.

Sections of water-damaged walls, flaking paint, and rust running down signs were also present, though.

Small plants grew along the fringes of the walls and gates, too, and sprouted through the spaces in between the paving.

The photos below show what Newlands Rugby Stadium looks like today.

Photos – August 2026