Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea — one of the country’s most important sports venues:

General Info

Santos National Football Stadium — officially the PNG National Football Stadium — is a multi-purpose sports stadium located in Port Moresby, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea. It’s widely known by its sponsored name (after energy company Santos) and was previously called Lloyd Robson Oval before major redevelopment.

 Location & Identity

  • City: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

  • Names: Santos National Football Stadium, PNG National Football Stadium, formerly Lloyd Robson Oval.

  • The stadium is regarded as a centrepiece of PNG’s rugby league culture and sport.

 Capacity & Facilities

  • Capacity: Around 15,000 seats (including permanent grandstand and additional stands).

  • Features a grass playing surface, lights for night events, a scoreboard, and corporate facilities.

  • The redevelopment included both permanent and temporary seating to support larger crowds.

  Uses & Events

  • Rugby League: The stadium is best known as the home ground of the Papua New Guinea national rugby league team (the Kumuls) and local clubs like the PNG Hunters who compete in the Queensland Cup.

  • International Rugby Matches: It has hosted Rugby League World Cup fixtures, including matches in 1986, 1990, and 2017.

  • Football (Soccer): The venue also accommodates football (soccer) matches and has been used for significant local and regional games.

  • OFC Events: In 2026, it is host to rounds of the OFC Professional League in Port Moresby.

 Sponsorship

  • Santos holds the naming rights for the facility, supporting rugby league and broader sports development in PNG. This sponsorship continues a partnership that began with Oil Search and now helps maintain the stadium’s status as a sporting hub.

 Future Role

  • The stadium is considered a potential (possibly temporary) home venue for Papua New Guinea’s future National Rugby League (NRL) franchise, scheduled to debut around 2028, although larger venues like Sir Hubert Murray Stadium are also being prepared.

 Historical Notes

  • Sport has been played at the site since the 1970s, and after redevelopment (completed in the mid-2010s) the facility became capable of hosting modern international fixtures.