Cardiff Arms Park - Home of Cardiff Rugby

Cardiff Arms Park is one of the most historic rugby grounds in world rugby, located on Westgate Street in the heart of the Welsh capital — physically connected to the much larger Principality Stadium next door. The current ground was built in 1969 with a capacity of 16,500 (now 12,125 following safety modifications), but rugby has been played on the wider Arms Park site continuously since the 1870s. Owned by Cardiff Athletic Club, the ground is the home of professional URC side Cardiff Rugby (also known as the Blue & Blacks or Blues) and semi-professional Cardiff RFC. In 2013, Cardiff Rugby installed a 3G artificial pitch — one of the first in professional Welsh rugby — providing year-round playability for both teams plus community and corporate clients. The stadium's atmospheric four-stand design includes the North Stand, North Terrace, Family Stand (East), Peter Thomas Stand (South), and Hospitality Boxes (West). The South Stand uniquely shares a structural wall with the Principality Stadium's North Stand — a quirk dating to the 1980s when funds ran out for a new structure. The Arms Park is steeped in Welsh rugby folklore, with greats including Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Cliff Morgan, Bleddyn Williams, Gerald Davies, Sam Warburton, Jonah Lomu, Gethin Jenkins and Jamie Roberts all having played at the ground.

Rugby has been played at Cardiff Arms Park continuously since the 1870s, when the area — then a wet field behind the Cardiff Arms Hotel — was leased to Cardiff Cricket Club and the newly-founded Cardiff Rugby Football Club (1876). The site is owned by Cardiff Athletic Club. The first international match was played on 12 April 1884, when 5,000 watched Wales beat Ireland. The 4th Marquess of Bute sold the entire site in 1922, opening the door to major development. The first proper stands were built in 1881-82 (capacity 300), expanded to around 43,000 by 1912 with the new main stand. A South Stand was added in 1956 bringing total capacity to 60,000. In 1958 the ground hosted the British Empire and Commonwealth Games. By 1964 the Arms Park had become the permanent home of the Wales national rugby team. The major transformation came between 1967-1969 when the old cricket ground was demolished to make way for two distinct grounds on the site: the current Cardiff Rugby ground to the north (opened 1969, architect Osborne V. Webb), and the larger National Stadium to the south (officially opened 7 April 1984). The National Stadium hosted the 1991 Rugby World Cup matches and 1996/1997 Heineken Cup Finals before being demolished in 1997 to make way for the Millennium Stadium (now Principality Stadium) which opened for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Cardiff Rugby (formed 2003 in the Welsh regional restructure) played at Cardiff Arms Park from 2003-2009, briefly relocated to Cardiff City Stadium 2009-2012, then returned to the Arms Park in 2012 where they remain. In 2013, a 3G artificial surface was installed — replacing the historic grass pitch — providing all-weather usability for two clubs and community/corporate users.

Cardiff Arms Park retains a unique atmosphere despite its modest 12,125 capacity — a function of being one of the spiritual homes of Welsh rugby. The ground is famous for the singing of "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" (the Welsh national anthem) and "Bread of Heaven" before kick-off, and the close, intimate bowl puts supporters within touching distance of the action. The North Stand and North Terrace house many of the most passionate Cardiff supporters, and the famous Gwyn Nicholls Memorial Gates at the Angel Hotel entrance evoke generations of Cardiff rugby history. Big inter-Welsh derby fixtures against the Ospreys, Scarlets, and Dragons consistently sell out, with Principality Stadium-bound rugby fans often passing through the ground on big international weekends. Cardiff Rugby's Summerfest and the return of the Blue & Blacks to the ground have generated significant new energy in recent seasons.

Cardiff Rugby does not currently run a regularly scheduled public stadium tour programme at Cardiff Arms Park. However, bespoke group tours and behind-the-scenes experiences can be arranged via the club's commercial team for schools, corporate clients, and supporter groups. These tours showcase the famous Gwyn Nicholls Memorial Gates, the home dressing room, the Cardiff Rugby heritage displays, the pitchside experience on the 3G surface, and the Peter Thomas Stand hospitality areas. Many visitors looking for a full stadium tour experience opt for the much larger Principality Stadium tour next door (run by the WRU), which Cardiff Arms Park is physically connected to via its shared south stand wall. Contact Cardiff Rugby via cardiffrugby.wales to enquire about group tour availability.

While Cardiff Arms Park does not have a dedicated permanent museum within the venue itself, Cardiff Rugby maintains a comprehensive online Cardiff Rugby Museum accessible via cardiffrugby.wales documenting over 150 years of Cardiff RFC history including the great Cardiff and Wales players who plied their trade at the ground — Gwyn Nicholls, Percy Bush, Cliff Morgan, Bleddyn Williams, Jack Matthews, Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Terry Holmes, Gareth Davies, Dai Young, Rob Howley, Gethin Jenkins, Jamie Roberts, Sam Warburton and many more. Heritage displays and photographs are also exhibited around the hospitality areas of the ground. The famous Gwyn Nicholls Memorial Gates at the Angel Hotel entrance commemorate the legendary Wales captain who led his country to a famous 3-0 victory over the touring New Zealand All Blacks in 1905 — the first time any team had beaten the All Blacks.