Adelaide, South Australia (2 October, 2026) –More than 1.25 million people attended events across Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide Entertainment Centre and Coopers Stadium in 2025-26, as Adelaide Venue Management delivered a record of 1,200 events, driving visitation and supporting South Australian businesses.
Adelaide Convention Centre attracted and hosted 700 conferences, exhibitions and events (up 8% on the previous year), bringing in over 49,000 interstate and international business tourists, generating more than 152,000 bed nights for local hotels and injecting around $300 million into South Australia’s visitor economy.
From global music icons to championship sporting clashes, Adelaide Entertainment Centre continued to entertain South Australians with an unrivalled calendar of live events. Across the year, the venue played host to 320 events (up 13% on the previous year), attracting over 760,000 patrons. The diverse event calendar catered to all audiences, from performances by Lewis Capaldi, Teddy Swims, Hilltop Hoods, TOOL, Kesha, Oprah, Alex Warren, Keith Urban, Rob Thomas, Yungblud and Jimmy Carr, through to thrilling sporting action featuring the Adelaide 36ers and Adelaide Thunderbirds.
Coopers Stadium cemented its place among Australia’s premier football (soccer) venues, with Adelaide United Football Club recording one of the strongest average attendances in the A-Leagues. The Stadium hosted 13 men’s and six women’s matches, attracting more than 125,000 football fans. Building on the legacy of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Coopers Stadium continued to shine a spotlight on women in football, hosting the high-profile Matildas vs New Zealand clash in December 2025, which drew more than 16,000 fans.
Beyond these venues, the State Government – through Adelaide Venue Management – continued to deliver concerts and functions at The Drive with highlights including the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships, ‘Next Door’ during AFL Gather Round and the FIFA World Cup Adelaide ‘Live Sites’.
Hon. Emily Bourke MLC, Minister for Tourism, says “Over the past four years, the Malinauskas Government has worked hard with the tourism, events and associated sectors to build South Australia’s reputation as a global events destination.”
“Interstate and internationally, South Australia’s reputation continues to thrive, tapping into markets that previously hadn’t considered Adelaide on their itineraries. When people come to Adelaide for an event, they don’t just go to the event, they make bookings at local hotels and restaurants, and support local shops, transport companies and everything in between.”
Alongside a record year of events that boosted visitation and enriched South Australia’s cultural and sporting landscapes, the state’s standing as Australia’s most sustainable events destination was also enhanced through ongoing investment in a range of sustainability initiatives.
Across the year, 89.7% of waste from AVM’s venues was diverted from landfill, with Adelaide Convention Centre achieving an industry-leading 99% diversion rate.
Adelaide Convention Centre was the world’s first convention centre to achieve EarthCheck Master certification for best practice in business, environmental and social sustainability. In 2025-26, the Centre achieved its 17th consecutive certification with the global EarthCheck program.
The momentum across AVM’s venues is set to continue in the year ahead, with Adelaide Convention Centre securing a strong pipeline of major national and international conferences, including Reconciliation Australia’s RAP Conference; The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Annual GP Conference; evokeAg 2027; Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Conference; International Masters of Wine Symposium 2027; and the Australian Dental Congress.
Adelaide Entertainment Centre’s packed calendar features global acts Zara Larsson, Iron Maiden and Niall Horan, alongside family favourites The Wiggles and the NBL27 season.
Coopers Stadium welcomes the return of A-Leagues’ football in November, along with one of the world’s most iconic rock bands, Foo Fighters, for their Take Cover Tour.
The Drive will round out the year with a thrilling series of December concerts, including A Perfect Circle, Spacey Jane and Queens of the Stone Age.
Martin Radcliffe, Chief Executive Officer – Adelaide Venue Management said the calibre of events choosing Adelaide shows how far South Australia’s reputation has grown on the world stage.
“Major international conventions, artists and events are putting Adelaide on their map, and that’s a powerful signal for our city’s global ambitions.”
Radcliffe adds, “Every event AVM hosts creates impact well beyond our venue walls. Strong event demand fills hotel rooms, supports local businesses and sustains jobs across the state, and I’m proud of the role we play in delivering those benefits for South Australia.”