If you’ve got tickets at the arena everyone still calls Qudos Bank Arena, here’s the short version: you’re going to the same bowl-shaped venue at Sydney Olympic Park, it just wears a different sponsor’s name on the door now. The seats, the floor, the loading docks, the walk from the train station — none of that changed, and neither did the rules at the door.
This guide covers both sides of that story: the Olympic history and naming eras that make Qudos Bank Arena one of Sydney’s most-searched venue names, plus everything you actually need before you go — bag policy, capacity, seating, parking and transport — for anyone with a show to attend this week.
Quick Answer
Qudos Bank Arena is no longer the venue’s current name — since July 23, 2026, it has operated as Afterpay Arena under a new five-year naming rights deal, though it’s the exact same building, seating bowl and Sydney Olympic Park location fans know from the Qudos Bank era.
The bag policy hasn’t changed with the rebrand either: bags must be no larger than A4 size (20cm x 30cm), backpacks of any size are banned regardless of what’s inside them, and every bag is searched on arrival. Existing Qudos Bank Arena tickets, directions and bookings all still work.
From Olympic Venue to Touring Powerhouse
The arena was built at a reported cost of about $200 million and opened as the Sydney SuperDome in 1999, in time to host basketball finals and gymnastics at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Its bowl design and large floor capacity made it a natural fit for both elite sport and arena concerts, and it quickly became the default Sydney stop for major international touring acts, alongside home games for the Sydney Kings basketball team.
The venue changed sponsor names several times over the following two decades, moving from Acer Arena (2006) to Allphones Arena (2011) before Qudos Bank secured naming rights in April 2016. During that near-decade-long Qudos Bank era, the arena remained Australia’s largest permanent indoor entertainment venue and a fixture on global touring schedules, hosting everyone from Kylie Minogue to Metallica, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.
The 2026 Rebrand to Afterpay Arena
Afterpay announced its naming rights partnership in May 2026, and the venue officially relaunched as Afterpay Arena on July 23, 2026, with a launch event marking the switch. For roughly 12 months after the change, the venue is being billed as “Afterpay Arena, formerly known as Qudos Bank Arena” specifically to help fans find it during the transition.
Practically, the rebrand changes nothing about your visit: tickets bought under the Qudos Bank Arena name remain fully valid, digital tickets have simply updated to show the new name, and printed tickets don’t need to be reissued. Ticketing continues to run through Ticketek, and the venue’s address and seating layout are unchanged.
Capacity and Seating
The arena holds up to around 21,000 people in a full concert configuration, making it Australia’s largest indoor entertainment venue, while seated sporting events like basketball and netball typically use a smaller configuration of roughly 18,000. The exact layout shifts show to show depending on staging, general admission floor space and whether the upper bowl is fully opened.
Seating runs in numbered tiers around the bowl, with lower-level seats closest to the floor and upper-level seats offering a more elevated, wide-angle view of the stage end. Because configurations change by promoter and tour, always check the specific seating map attached to your event listing on Ticketek rather than a generic chart, as row and section numbering can differ between a concert, a basketball game and a boxing card.
Qudos Bank Arena Bag Policy: What You Can and Can’t Bring
The bag policy at the venue still known to most people as Qudos Bank Arena (now Afterpay Arena) is strict and applies to every event: any bag you bring in must be A4 size or smaller, meaning it can’t exceed roughly 20cm x 30cm — about the footprint of a sheet of paper. Backpacks are banned outright, regardless of size, so a small backpack that would otherwise fit the A4 limit is still turned away at the door. Purses, small handbags and clutches are fine as long as they stay within that same A4 ceiling.
Every bag that meets the size limit is still searched on entry as part of the venue’s standard security screening, which can include walkthrough metal detectors, handheld wanding, x-ray and visual bag checks. Beyond bag size, the venue also prohibits items like eskies and hard-cased cooler bags, aerosol cans, alcohol brought from outside, professional cameras with detachable or telephoto lenses, selfie sticks and tripods, laser pointers, and large umbrellas over about 30cm closed — so it’s worth checking your bag before you leave home, not just its size.
If you need to carry medical items such as an EpiPen, insulin pen or other supplies that wouldn’t normally fit the bag rules, tell security when you arrive: at the venue’s discretion, your bag can be searched and security-tagged so staff know you’ve been cleared to bring it in. If your bag doesn’t meet the policy and you don’t want to leave it behind, Afterpay Arena runs a cloakroom where oversized or non-compliant bags can be checked in for a fee (also subject to a security search). Note too that the venue runs a strict no-pass-out policy, so plan bathroom and smoking breaks accordingly once you’re inside.
Planning Your Visit: Parking, Transport and Tickets
Parking is managed centrally by Sydney Olympic Park rather than the arena itself, with thousands of car spaces across the precinct. The largest and closest option is the P1 car park adjoining the arena, with several other lots within about a 10-minute walk; on nights with multiple events in the precinct, free shuttle buses run between the arena and the operational car parks.
By public transport, the closest stop is Olympic Park train station, a short walk from the arena, with Sydney Trains running frequent services from Lidcombe on event days. Buses and a Parramatta River ferry service to nearby Wentworth Point (connected on by a short bus ride) are also options if you’re coming from the city or Parramatta. Because Olympic Park gets busy on event nights, arrive early and allow extra travel time.
Tickets for all events are sold through Ticketek, and the box office opens when doors open (or earlier if your event includes an early-entry VIP package). For current event listings, exact parking rates, opening times, the live seating map for your specific show, and the full conditions of entry, check the official Afterpay Arena website, which is the authoritative source now that the venue has rebranded.
Photos
Soak it, wear it, stay cool through a sun-baked afternoon set.
Three modes in one plug: quiet, full-volume concert, and a setting in between. Protects your hearing without muffling the mix.
Take the dangerous peak off a loud show and keep the music sounding clear. They fit in a tiny case on your keychain.
Qudos Bank Arena bag policy FAQs
Is Qudos Bank Arena still called that?
No. Since July 23, 2026, the venue has officially operated as Afterpay Arena under a new five-year naming rights deal, after being Qudos Bank Arena from April 2016 to mid-2026. It’s the same building and seating bowl at Sydney Olympic Park, just under new signage.
What is the bag policy at Qudos Bank Arena (Afterpay Arena)?
Bags must be no larger than A4 size (about 20cm x 30cm), and backpacks of any size are not permitted, even if they’d otherwise fit that limit. Every bag is searched on entry, and medical items like EpiPens can be security-tagged for entry if you let staff know at the door.
Can I bring a backpack into the venue?
No. Backpacks are banned regardless of size, even small ones that would meet the A4 bag limit. If you arrive with one and don’t want to leave it in your car, the venue’s cloakroom can check it in for a fee.
What happens if my bag doesn’t meet the bag policy?
You can check it into the venue’s cloakroom for a fee, where it will also be searched before being stored, or leave it in your car if you’re driving in — the venue does not hold non-compliant bags at the entry gates themselves.
Do old Qudos Bank Arena tickets still work for shows at Afterpay Arena?
Yes. Tickets purchased under the Qudos Bank Arena name remain fully valid. Digital tickets have simply updated to show the new venue name, and printed tickets don’t need to be reissued.
How do I get to Afterpay Arena by public transport?
Take a Sydney Trains service to Olympic Park station, which is a short walk from the venue, with frequent event-day services running from Lidcombe. Buses and a Parramatta River ferry to nearby Wentworth Point are also options.
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