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{{Short description|Cricket stadium in Cardiff, Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox cricket ground
| ground_name = Sophia Gardens
| website = http://www.thesseswalec.com/
| logo_image = Sophia-gardens-cardiff-logo.png
| logo_caption =
| image = Stadiwm SWALEC.JPG
| caption = Thatchers Pavilion
| nickname = ''Cardiff Wales Stadium''
| country = Wales
| location = [[Cardiff]], [[Wales]]
| coordinates = {{coord|51|29|14|N|3|11|29|W|display=it}}
| seating_capacity = 15,643<ref>{{cite news |title=Glamorgan secure England matches |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/glamorgan/8176020.stm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713035524/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/glamorgan/8176020.stm |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 July 2012 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=30 July 2009 |access-date=31 July 2009 }}</ref>
| owner = [[Cardiff City Council]]
| architect = HLN Architects<ref>{{cite news|title=The Ashes – a Cardiff Success|url=http://www.hlnarchitects.com/uploads/downloads/Insight%20Sept%202009.pdf|publisher=HLN Architects|access-date=25 May 2010}}{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
| end1 = River Taff End [[Image:SophiaGardensCricketGroundPitchDimensions.svg|200px]]
| end2 = Cathedral Road End
| international = true
| firsttestdate = 8–12 July
| firsttestyear = 2009
| firsttesthome = England
| firsttestaway = Australia
| lasttestdate = 8–11 July
| lasttestyear = 2015
| lasttesthome = England
| lasttestaway = Australia
| firstodidate = 20 May
| firstodiyear = 1999
| firstodihome = Australia
| firstodiaway = New Zealand
| lastodidate = 8 July
| lastodiyear = 2021
| lastodihome = England
| lastodiaway = Pakistan
| firstt20idate = 5 September
| firstt20iyear = 2010
| firstt20ihome = England
| firstt20iaway = Pakistan
| lastt20idate = 28 July
| lastt20iyear = 2022
| lastt20ihome = England
| lastt20iaway = South Africa
| onlywodidate = 17 August
| onlywodiyear = 2003
| onlywodihome = England
| onlywodiaway = South Africa
| onlywt20idate = 31 August
| onlywt20iyear = 2015
| onlywt20ihome = England
| onlywt20iaway = Australia
| year1 = 1967–present
| club1 = [[Glamorgan County Cricket Club|Glamorgan]]
| year2 = 2019–present
| club2 = [[Welsh Fire]]
| date = 28 July
| year = 2022
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/ground/56874.html ESPNcricinfo
}}
The '''Cardiff Wales Stadium''', which is part of '''Sophia Gardens Cardiff''' ({{IPAc-en|s|ə|ˈ|f|aɪ|ə|}} {{respell|suh|FY|uh|}}; {{lang-cy|Gerddi Soffia Caerdydd}}), is a [[cricket]] stadium in [[Cardiff]], [[Wales]]. It is located in [[Sophia Gardens]] on the [[River Taff]]. It is home to [[Glamorgan County Cricket Club]] and is listed as an international [[List of Test cricket grounds|Test cricket venue]].

==County cricket==
{{multiple image
| align = left
| direction = horizontal
| header = The Cathedral Road End
| header_align = center
| header_background =
| footer =
| footer_align = left
| footer_background =
| width =
| image1 = Sophia Gardens before the redevelopment.jpg
| width1 = 180
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Before the redevelopment<br />(The Cathedral Road Stand)
| image2 = Cathedral Road end, SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff, Wales.jpg
| width2 = 221
| alt2 =
| caption2 = After the redevelopment<br />(renamed the Castell Howell Stand)
}}
The venue is home to [[Glamorgan County Cricket Club]] which has played its home matches there since 24 May 1967,<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/allaction/139727171/in/set-72057594124227176/ Pavilion Plaque, Sophia Gardens]</ref> after moving away from [[Cardiff Arms Park]]. A 125-year lease of the ground was acquired in 1995, with the previous leaseholders, [[Cardiff Athletic Club]], moving its cricket section ([[Cardiff Cricket Club]]) to the Diamond Ground in [[Whitchurch, Cardiff|Whitchurch]]. Beside the cricket ground is the large sports hall complex of the [[Sport Wales National Centre]]. [[Cardiff Corinthians F.C.]] have previously used the area for football. In July 2007, Glamorgan cricketer [[Mike Powell (cricketer, born 1977)|Mike Powell]] was granted his wish to have a rib, removed during surgery, buried at the ground.<ref>[http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/glamorgan/content/story/302557.html Powell buries his rib at Sophia Gardens]</ref>

==International cricket==
Sophia Gardens has been an international cricket venue since 20 May 1999, when it played host to the [[1999 Cricket World Cup]] match between [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] and [[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]]. From 2001 to 2012, the ground was a regular venue for [[One Day International]]s, hosting nine matches in 12 years, but it was not until 2006 that it hosted its first [[England cricket team|England]] match, the first match of the series against [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] on 30 August 2006. In 2012, the ground was named as one of three venues for the [[2013 ICC Champions Trophy]], along with [[The Oval]] and [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground|Edgbaston]]; it hosted five matches, including the opener between [[India national cricket team|India]] and [[South Africa national cricket team|South Africa]] on 6 June 2013, and the semi-final between India and [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]] on 20 June.<ref name="champions">{{cite news |title=Glamorgan host more 2013 Champions Trophy games |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/19324236 |publisher=BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation) |date=21 August 2012 |access-date=13 April 2015 }}</ref> The ground also hosted two [[Twenty20 International]]s between England and Pakistan in September 2010, and it is due to host another against Australia in August 2015.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ashes 2015: England and Australia open Test series in Cardiff |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/27371063 |publisher=BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation) |date=12 May 2014 |access-date=13 April 2015 }}</ref>

On 11 April 2008, the [[England and Wales Cricket Board]] (ECB) announced that the venue would host a series of major Test matches over the next four years. It would host its first [[Test cricket|Test match]] on 8 July 2009 as the opening match of an [[The Ashes|Ashes]] series between England and Australia.<ref name="glamorgancricket.com">[http://www.glamorgancricket.com/news_view.php?news_id=1277 SWALEC Stadium awarded more international cricket] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926165111/http://www.glamorgancricket.com/news_view.php?news_id=1277 |date=2008-09-26 }}</ref> This made Sophia Gardens the 100th [[List of Test cricket grounds|Test match venue]]. In July 2011, the ECB stripped the ground of its right to host the 2012 [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]] Test because of Glamorgan's late payment of the £2.5 million fee it owed for hosting the 2011 [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]] Test.<ref>[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/cricket-swalec-test-match-loss-1818970 Cricket: Swalec Test match loss is confirmed]</ref> The ground was originally set to host a Test match against New Zealand in 2013, but this was given up in exchange for the 2013 Champions Trophy.<ref name="champions"/> The ground was chosen as the venue for the first Test of the [[2015 Ashes series]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Trent Bridge to host Ashes Tests in 2013 and 2015 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/15020210 |publisher=BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation) |date=22 September 2011 |access-date=13 April 2015 }}</ref>

The ground was one of 11 venues for the [[2019 Cricket World Cup]]. It was host for four group matches.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/672392 |title=ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 schedule announced |publisher=[[International Cricket Council|ICC]] |date=14 June 2019}}</ref>

{{wide image|Opening Ball.jpg|1000px|The opening ball of the 2009 Ashes series, bowled by [[Mitchell Johnson (cricketer)|Mitchell Johnson]] to [[Andrew Strauss]]. In the background is the Riverside Stand}}

==Stadium redevelopment==
{{multiple image
| align = left
| direction = horizontal
| total_width = 400px
| header = Sophia Gardens after redevelopment
| header_align = center
| header_background =
| footer =
| footer_align = left
| footer_background =
| image1 = Fosters Grandstand, Sophia Gardens - Cardiff - geograph-5953810-by-Dr-Zo-Hoare.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = The Foster's Grandstand
| image2 = Really Welsh Pavilion, SWALEC Stadium.jpg
| alt2 =
| caption2 = The Discover Leeks Pavilion
}}
The £9.4 million cost to redevelop stadium was funded by with approximately half (£4.5 million) being provided in the form of a [[Cardiff Council]] loan.<ref>[http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/sports/cricket-news/2008/05/11/atherton-says-cardiff-ground-too-small-for-ashes-cricket-91466-20891059/ Atherton says Cardiff ground “too small” for Ashes cricket]</ref> It is possible that the revamped stadium could host seven Test matches, nine One Day Internationals and two [[Cricket World Cup|World Cup]] games up to 2028, injecting at least £50 million into the local economy.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120720025220/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/4921718.stm Cardiff to host Ashes Test match]</ref><ref>[http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/story/244931.html Cardiff to host Ashes Test in 2009]</ref> Construction of the redevelopment of Sophia Gardens began in April 2007,<ref name="glamorgancricket.com"/> and the redeveloped stadium was first opened for competitive matches on 9 May 2008, when the Glamorgan Dragons played the [[Gloucestershire County Cricket Club|Gloucestershire Gladiators]] in a [[Friends Provident Trophy]] match in which the Gladiators won by six wickets.<ref>[http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/sports/cricket-news/2008/05/10/cricket-gladiators-spoil-glamorgan-s-opening-night-party-91466-20889156/ Gladiators spoil Glamorgan’s opening-night party]</ref>

===Stadium naming rights===
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = horizontal
| header = The logos used during the SWALEC sponsorship deal
| header_align = center
| header_background =
| footer =
| footer_align = left
| width =
| image1 = Swalec Stadium logo.jpg
| width1 = 193
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Used from 2008 until 2015, when the stadium was known as the SWALEC Stadium
| image2 = The-SSE-SWALEC-Logo.jpg
| width2 = 180
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Used from 2015 until early 2018, when the stadium was known as the SSE SWALEC
}}
On 4 March 2008, Glamorgan Cricket Club announced a 10-year sponsorship deal with [[SWALEC]], thought to be the biggest single sponsorship by a county cricket club, giving SWALEC the naming rights to the new stadium, worth in excess of £1.5 million over 10 years.<ref>[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/cricket/cricket-sophia-gardens-ground-renamed-2187086 Cricket: Sophia Gardens ground to be renamed Swalec Stadium]</ref>

In June 2015, ahead of the First Test of the [[2015 Ashes series]], the stadium was renamed as simply "The SSE SWALEC" in reflection of the ownership of sponsors SWALEC by [[SSE plc]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Gareth |last=Griffiths |title=Glamorgan rename ground as The SSE SWALEC ahead of Ashes showdown between England and Australia |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/cricket/glamorgan-rename-ground-sse-swalec-9390996 |work=Wales Online |publisher=Media Wales |date=4 June 2015 |access-date=5 June 2015 }}</ref> The new logo from June 2015 was designed to reflect the shape of the stadium.<ref>[http://sse.com/newsandviews/allarticles/2015/06/new-name-for-wales-best-known-cricket-ground/ SSE]</ref> In April 2018 the stadium officially reverted to its original name of Sophia Gardens following the end of the sponsorship deal.<ref name=wo>Booth, Dominic (30 April 2018) [https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/cricket/glamorgan-cricket-cardiff-ashes-swalec-14595449 Iconic Cardiff sporting venue renamed as sponsorship deal comes to an end], ''[[Wales Online]]''. Retrieved 6 May 2018.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Sport in Cardiff]]
* [[List of cricket grounds in England and Wales]]
* [[List of sports venues with sole naming rights]]
* [[Cricket Wales]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* [http://www.sophiagardens.wales/ Official website]
* [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/ground/56874.html Ground profile] from [[Cricinfo]]

{{Glamorgan CCC}}
{{Western Storm}}
{{Test Cricket Grounds ENG}}
{{Sport in Cardiff}}
{{Landmarks and Visitor Attractions in Cardiff}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swalec Stadium}}
[[Category:Landmarks in Cardiff]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Cardiff]]
[[Category:Stadiums in Cardiff]]
[[Category:Glamorgan County Cricket Club]]
[[Category:Test cricket grounds in Wales]]
[[Category:Cricket grounds in Glamorgan]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1967]]
[[Category:1999 Cricket World Cup stadiums]]
[[Category:2019 Cricket World Cup stadiums]]

Sophia Gardens (cricket ground) - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article