Manuka Oval set for finals frenzy as Canberra's big-event season kicks off

Manuka Oval is gearing up for what could be its busiest sporting month in years, as Canberra's major venues shift into event mode for the back half of 2026. The oval, on Manuka Circle in Griffith, will host at least two AFL home-and-away games in the next six weeks, and is in the mix to secure a qualifying final should the Greater Western Sydney Giants back up their recent form.

The Giants are suddenly a genuine finals contender. Their 47-point thrashing of Geelong at ENGIE Stadium in Sydney on the weekend sent a message across the competition. The performance, which some observers are calling their best of the year, was built on pressure and precise ball movement. GWS now sit comfortably inside the top six with seven rounds remaining. If that run continues, Canberra, not Sydney, could be the venue for a knockout final in September.

Finals odds rise for Giants, and Manuka

Manuka Oval holds an agreement with the Giants to host a finals match if the club qualifies. The venue has already staged two GWS games this season, drawing crowds of more than 12,000 each time. The Giants are 2-0 at Manuka in 2026, and the ACT government has made clear it wants to keep the relationship alive. Under the current deal, the ground must also be ready to host a pre-season fixture in February 2027, meaning upgrades to lighting and drainage are ongoing.

The timing works. The AFL season finishes on the weekend of August 22-23, with finals to follow across four weeks in September. Manuka Oval has a capacity of about 16,000 for AFL matches, with temporary seating added behind the goals. That figure could be extended for a finals game, though the ground lacks the corporate facilities of the SCG or Giants Stadium. Still, the venue's history of hosting MCG-standard footy has won over players and officials alike.

GWS coach Adam Kingsley has praised Manuka's surface this season, describing it as “as good as any ground in the competition” after the club's round-nine win over Richmond. The Giants have not played a home final at the venue since 2019, when they defeated the Western Bulldogs in an elimination final in front of a then-record crowd of 13,827.

Beyond footy: Cricket and World Cup fever

Manuka Oval's summer calendar is equally full. Cricket ACT has confirmed the ground will host at least two one-day internationals and a T20 match between November and January, including a clash between Australia and India in early December. The venue's drop-in pitch, installed in 2021, has consistently produced high-scoring Sheffield Shield and Big Bash League matches.

But the Oval is not the only big game in town. GIO Stadium Canberra, the city's main rectangular venue, will host a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final if the ACT Brumbies finish in the top two, which, as of Monday, they are a strong chance of doing. The Brumbies sit second on the ladder with four matches left. A semi-final at GIO would put roughly 22,000 fans on Canberra Avenue, Bruce, for what would be the club's biggest home game since the 2021 grand final.

Meanwhile, the World Cup semi-finals, which begin in the United States on Wednesday, have driven a spike in TV viewing and local sports bar bookings across Canberra. Civic pubs have reported a sharp uptick in reservations for the late-night matches, which kick off around 4am local time. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has used the build-up to float a possible 64-team World Cup expansion from 2030, a proposal that would shake up the qualification pathway for the Socceroos and other nations.

For now, Canberra's sports fans have plenty to focus on at home. The Giants' next Manuka fixture is against Fremantle on August 2. If they win that, and a few others along the way, September will arrive with a roar from the nation's capital.