A sporting chance: Christchurch NZ CEO Alison Adams
’Tis the season of sport in Christchurch.
As I say goodbye to this city I’ve grown to love, I want to reflect on what a huge year 2026 has been for major events.
We’ve just wrapped up hosting New Zealand’s only fixture of the Rugby League World Cup, and there’s plenty more to come. In October and November, the BLACKCAPS are taking on India at Hagley Oval while on 15 November, the All Whites will do the same at One New Zealand Stadium. Beyond that, there’s a packed summer of events. These events don’t just happen by accident. They’re the result of years of planning, investment, and a city backing itself.
After the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, Christchurch faced a big question: do we rebuild what we had, or do we build for what we want to become? We’re seeing the answer come to life.
With fantastic new infrastructure, a thriving hospitality scene, great accommodation, and an incredibly compact city centre, Christchurch is made for major events. We’re big enough to host them, but small enough to make the whole experience easy.
Events bring energy to the city, give locals more reasons to love where they live, and help Christchurch compete for the skilled people every growing economy needs. That’s why we invest in them.
And there’s so much more to come, which makes it even harder to say goodbye. Have a spectacular event season, Christchurch. You deserve it.
