Shaded Seats at Accor Stadium

Accor Stadium is one of Sydney’s major multi-purpose venues. Originally developed as the centerpiece of the 2000 Olympics, it now hosts a variety of major events and sports. Sydney’s summers are hot and sunny, so the position of the sun is an important factor for afternoon and early evening events. Fans can use this guide with the stadium seating chart to locate the best shaded seats at Accor Stadium.

Where Are the Seats in the Shade and Sun at Accor Stadium?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Accor Stadium are:

• North End: Shaded except for the first few rows
• West Sideline: Shaded by mid-afternoon and in the evening
• Under Cover: Shaded in upper sideline sections under the roof

And the seats in the sun at Accor Stadium are mainly:

• East Sideline: Sunny especially in the lower-level
• South End: Sun soaked at field-level

Shade shifts with season, cloud cover, and kickoff time. If you’re sun-sensitive, prioritize rows tucked under the roof/overhang or on the west side for afternoon matches.

Accor Stadium Orientation to the Sun

Accor Stadium has a slightly off-axis north-to-south orientation. In Sydney, the sun arcs across the northern sky: it reaches its high point in the sky around 1:00 pm, then sinks behind the west side of the stadium and sets toward the southwest. That’s why the west sideline shades earliest, while the east sideline tends to stay sunny until late in the day.

The graphic below shows the approximate hour-by-hour position of the sun throughout the day on January 1st.

Click or tap to see a seating map for Accor Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Afternoon Accor Stadium Matches

Originally a rectangular stadium, Accor Stadium is now a multi-purpose venue that can be configured in either a rectangular or oval orientation. Seating is split into three levels, with more seats on the sidelines than behind the ends. Large roofs extend toward the pitch over the sidelines, and smaller roofs cover some seats behind the ends.

It’s rare for events at Accor Stadium to kick off around lunchtime, but when they do, seats directly under cover are best positioned for shade. Sections 317-321 behind the north end and sections 601-613 and 620-632 on the sidelines are protected from the sun by the roof above.

By 3:00 PM the sun sits to the west. On the west sideline, middle-level sections 428-439 and upper-level sections 620-632 are comfortably shaded. The only seats likely to catch sun at this hour are at pitch level in the front rows of sections 124-137, though these usually fall into shade shortly into a mid-arvo match. On the east sideline, upper-level sections 601-613 are generally shaded by the roof, but as the afternoon progresses the sun reaches more rows and even the roof won’t protect most seats.

The sunniest seats are on the lower and middle levels along the east sideline, particularly sections 101-114 and 401-412, where rays come through the stadium opening. Behind the north and south ends, sections 115-123 and 138-146 get sun for parts of the afternoon. If you’re chasing shade behind the goals, pick the north end over the south end and choose a row further back from the pitch for more cover overhead.

By the middle of the afternoon, the east and south sides of the stadium are sunny, while the west side and the seats behind the north goal are shaded.
Bjorn Svensson / Alamy Stock Photo

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Evening Accor Stadium Matches

By early evening, all levels of the west sideline are safely in shade and good options include: sections 124-137, 428-439 and 620-632. On the east sideline, sections 101-114 and 401-412 stay sunny until the sun drops low enough to be blocked by the opposite stand. During the longest days of the Aussie summer, even the roof won’t protect most seats in the upper level (601-613), which face directly into the setting sun.

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Use the individual game links or click or tap here to see an upcoming list of games at Accor Stadium.