Shaded Seats at Engie Stadium

Engie Stadium is one of Sydney’s major multi-purpose venues. Located at Sydney Olympic Park it’s home of the GWS Giants, Sydney Thunder, and hosts concerts and major events. Sydney’s summers are hot and sunny, so the position of the sun is important for afternoon and early evening events. Fans can use this guide along with the stadium seating map to find the best shaded seats at Engie Stadium.

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

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

• North Sideline: Shaded from afternoon through evening
• West End: Falls into shade by mid-afternoon and in the evening
• Under Cover: Upper rows directly under the roof are shaded

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

• East End: Uncovered and especially sunny
• South Sideline: Sun soaked at field-level for most of the day

Shade always changes with the season, clouds, and start of play. Test matches in Sydney are typically hosted across town at the SCG, leaving Engie Stadium mostly for T20s, AFL matches and concerts. Most events are scheduled in the late afternoon or evening, though matches are occasionally scheduled around lunchtime. If you’re sun-sensitive, prioritize rows tucked under the roof/overhang or on the north or west side for the best chance or avoid the sun.

Engie Stadium Orientation to the Sun

At Engie Stadium, the sun rises in the east, tracks across the northern sky and dips toward the western horizon. For a typical late afternoon AFL match, this means the north and west sides of the stadium are the shade sides while the east and south sides are sunny.

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 Engie Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Afternoon Engie Stadium Matches

Engie Stadium is an oval with a series of canopy roofs that cover most stands, except on the north-east side near the video board. That area is the only single-tier section; the rest of the ground is two-tiered, with 200-level bays on the lower tier and 400-level bays on the upper.

It’s uncommon for matches at Engie Stadium to kick off around lunchtime, but when they do, seats under cover are best for early-arvo shade. All 400-level bays sit beneath the roof and are well protected. By contrast, many 200-level bays, especially rows closest to the pitch, are uncovered and likely to be sunny.

By 2:00 PM the sun shifts to the west and sits behind the Members Stand. At this hour, Bays 420-430 are comfortably shaded. Bays 221-232 are also a good bet: rows farther from the pitch are shaded for most of the afternoon, while lower rows pick up shade as the sun dips. On the opposite side, the upper half of Bays 402-406 and 435-440 is under cover and shaded, but the front half of those bays is sun-exposed.

The sunniest seats are on the lower tier in Bays 201-213 and 239-253, which face the afternoon sun and sit beyond the reach of the canopy. On the upper tier, only the back half of Bays 402-406 and 435-440 is shaded; rows closer to the pitch are angled toward the sun.

By the middle of the afternoon, seats on the north and west sides (left) of the stadium are shaded while those opposite the pitch (right) are sunny.
Action Plus Sports Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Evening Engie Stadium Matches

By early evening, the Members Stand, Suttor Stand and Vincent Fairfax Stand are all in shade. Opposite, Bays 201-213 and 239-253 stay sunny until the shade line crosses the pitch. Upper-tier Bays 402-406 and 435-440 sit in the sun’s path just before sunset—bring your best sunnies unless it’s cloudy.

Ready to get your Engie Stadium tickets?

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