Iconic Australian sporting venue Shark Park, home of the Cronulla Sharks, is reportedly facing closure at the end of the 2026 NRL season. According to Fanatics TV host Warren Livingstone, the Round 14 local derby against the St. George Illawarra Dragons on Sunday will be the last such clash at the venue.
NRL's Long-Standing Venue Dilemma
The NRL has grappled with outdated suburban grounds for two decades as the league approaches its next TV rights negotiations, now valued at $4 billion. In recent years, proposals to force clubs into larger stadiums have threatened Shark Park, Manly's Brookvale Oval, and the Wests Tigers' Leichhardt Oval. However, it appears Cronulla's Ocean Protect Stadium has been singled out for termination.
Speaking on the Kenty Blitz podcast, Livingstone stated: "There is a bit of mail going around this weekend will be the last local derby at Shark Park. There's a bit of news coming out of the NRL. A couple people at the NRL aren't that happy with Endeavour Field, Shark Park, with the state of the game and the state of the play there. So this year they lose their semi-finals. My mail is next year they will be playing their games, all their games, at Allianz Stadium and Kogarah Stadium."
Stadium Upgrade Hopes Dashed
According to the report, the Sharks are unlikely to receive support from Venues NSW for an upgrade. Shark Park has hosted Cronulla home games since 1968. Livingstone added: "Quite a few influential people have said enough's enough. My mail is this year will be the last year that Cronulla play at Shark Park."
The venue's last finals game occurred in 2025 when the Sharks defeated the Roosters in the opening week. While local fans expressed nostalgia and emotional attachment, the sight of a blockbuster finals match at a suburban ground with a 13,000 capacity drew fierce criticism. Outgoing NRL CEO Andrew Abdo announced in September a review into the stadium's future as a top-tier venue. "I have a view that we need to focus on the fans and fan experience," Abdo said. "There comes a time where you have to consider a minimum standard – potentially for finals – that might be above the regular season."
Criticism from Media and Officials
Leading NRL reporter Brent Read labelled Shark Park's facilities "an embarrassment given it is the home of a professional rugby league club." Veteran Code Sports reporter Dean Ritchie wrote in March that the game has outgrown venues like Shark Park and Brookvale Oval, predicting closures within 5-7 years without redevelopment funding. "There's as much chance of the state government giving money to Cronulla as there is me climbing Mount Kosciuszko in cheap thongs," Ritchie wrote. "Shark Park is an embarrassment to rugby league. At best, it is a NSW Cup venue."
Leichhardt Oval, however, has escaped closure due to a $40 million redevelopment announced last year, jointly funded by the federal government ($20 million), NSW government ($10 million), and Inner West Council ($10 million). The NRL's ongoing review and the impending move of Cronulla's home games to Allianz Stadium and Kogarah Stadium signal the end of an era for one of rugby league's most historic suburban grounds.
