The first stage of groundwork at Open Country Stadium is now complete thanks to J Swap, who have paved the way for the main build to begin, which will be led by Fosters. Work commenced in December after school closed for the year, and things have progressed quickly since then. The stadium, set to open early next year, will be a shared facility for both the community and the school to enjoy.

This milestone is the result of a strong team effort, driven by Matamata Futures Trust (MFT) with the local community, and supported by us, Sport Waikato and the Ministry of Education. We caught these drone shots while the team were hard at work, and they show the immense scope of this project. If you want to see more of the lastest drone footage, you can check out the full video here.

Through the hard work of MFT, there has been a huge amount fundraised already, but they still need the community's help to get it over the line. If you want to be part of the journey, sponsorship opportunities can be found at matamatastadium.co.nz.

You can read more about the project here or stay tuned for updates as the stadium is turned from a vision into reality.