For the first time in Western Force history, the Club will take Super Rugby to Perth’s fast-growing northern corridor with one game at Arena Joondalup's HIF Health Insurance Oval in the 2026 season proper.
The Force have worked with the City of Joondalup and VenuesWest to bring to life the exciting opportunity for the Round 2 fixture on Saturday 21 February.
Joondalup has a population of 164,000 residents and is a rugby heartland with Fortescue Premier Grade clubs Joondalup Brothers and Wanneroo located in the region.
Register your interest in a 2026 Western Force Membership
The Joondalup venue, which features a main grandstand and large grass hill surrounding the playing arena with a total capacity of 12,500, previously hosted the Perth Spirit in the 2014 National Rugby Championship season.
The Force have taken the opportunity to connect with community, due to a venue clash at HBF Park for the Women’s AFC Asian Cup featuring the Matildas in February and March.
Under the agreement with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), HBF Park will be unavailable from March 1–21 2026, including a two-week period prior to the tournament as they prepare the venue and pitch for the event.
Working with HBF Park operator VenuesWest and meeting Super Rugby Pacific venue standards, the Force identified Arena Joondalup’s HIF Health Insurance Oval as the replacement venue for the Round 2 game with the requisite broadcast, corporate and changeroom facilities within the Perth metropolitan area. It is fully accessible by Perth’s rail network.
The announcement comes after the Force revealed its two Super Rugby AUS home games in September will be played at Fortescue Premier Grade club Palmyra RUFC’s ground Tompkins Park, located south of the river.
Click here for Arena Joondalup Membership FAQs
Western Force CEO Niamh O’Connor said: “We’re really excited to take the Western Force and Super Rugby to Joondalup for one game in the 2026 season to connect with the community which is a key pillar of our organisation. We are a Club for the whole of the state and the whole of Perth.
“Working with VenuesWest, with HBF Park unavailable for a five-week period, we determined that Arena Joondalup was the ground in Perth’s metropolitan area best suited to meet Super Rugby’s venue standards whilst also offering us an opportunity to engage the community and create a grass-roots atmosphere for the one-off game.
“We’ll continue to work with VenuesWest and the City of Joondalup to bring to life an awesome gameday experience for our fans and Members at Arena Joondalup.”
Joondalup, which is located 26 kilometres north of Perth’s CBD, is a region full of British expatriates and rugby fans. Joondalup mayor Albert Jacob said the game was exciting for the area.
Jacob said: “The City of Joondalup welcomes the opportunity to host the Western Force for one Super Rugby Pacific match in our community.
“Arena Joondalup is the premier sporting precinct in Perth’s northern growth corridor, home to world-class facilities and one of Western Australia’s premier playing surfaces.
“Nearly 40 per cent of residents in our region were born overseas, predominantly from the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa, and the chance to see premier domestic rugby in our backyard will be eagerly-anticipated.
“We also look forward to seeing Joondalup showcased internationally through millions of viewers around the globe.”
VenuesWest CEO David Etherton said: “We’re excited to welcome the Western Force to Arena Joondalup in February 2026 for their game against the Blues.
"A Super Rugby game at the venue will increase the visibility of elite sport to grassroots players, and this is a rare opportunity for the community and patrons to get close to the action.
"VenuesWest appreciates the understanding from the Force and their Members, and we look forward to bringing together the rugby community and the northern suburbs for this exciting fixture.”
Due to the one-off Joondalup game, 2026 Force Memberships will be structured as six-game packages at HBF Park, with pricing adjusted accordingly.
The Joondalup game will be ticketed separately via Ticketmaster, and Force Members will receive priority access when tickets go on sale in the new year. The Club will be in touch with Members with more information closer to the time.
The full 2026 Super Rugby Pacific fixtures will be confirmed later this week.
Register your interest in a 2026 Western Force Membership
Western Force vs Blues
2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, Round 2
Saturday 21 February, 4:35pm WST
HIF Health Insurance Oval, Arena Joondalup
