At a glance
- When
- Saturday 28 November 2026, kick-off 7:35pm AEDT; gates open time not yet published
- Where
- GIO Stadium Canberra, Battye Street, Bruce
- Free buses
- Return trips from the Queanbeyan, Belconnen, Gungahlin, Civic, Woden and Tuggeranong bus interchanges to the East gate
- Parking
- Paid parking on the East and West sides; the stadium’s parking page gives $10 a vehicle, with a $5 early bird discount for arriving 45 minutes before the start
- Overflow parking
- Canberra Institute of Technology (about 10 minutes’ walk) and University of Canberra (about 20 minutes’ walk)
- Drop-off and rideshare
- West side only, on Leverrier Street in front of the AIS Arena; ask for “AIS or AIS Arena”, not GIO Stadium
- Who it’s for
- Anyone with a ticket to CommBank Matildas v Colombia in Canberra who is deciding between bus, car and rideshare
- What to do now
- Check your ticket’s bay number, then decide between the free bus and the car park nearest that bay
- Last checked
- Saturday 31 October 2026, against the GIO Stadium Canberra match page, driving and parking page and public transport page
- Not yet confirmed
- Gate opening time and every free bus timetable, which the stadium says it will post once confirmed
Ticket holders for CommBank Matildas v Colombia at GIO Stadium Canberra on Saturday 28 November 2026 can take a free bus from six bus interchanges to the East gate, and the stadium says the car parks are likely to fill up quickly. Kick-off is 7:35pm AEDT, and the stadium has not yet published when the gates open or what time the buses run.
This guide covers the ways in, using the stadium’s match page, its driving and parking page and its public transport page, all read on Saturday 31 October 2026. What you can and cannot carry in has its own guide: what is banned at the gates for the Matildas match.
What time is kick-off, and when do the gates open?
Football Australia’s match schedule lists the match for Saturday 28 November 2026 at 7:35pm AEDT at GIO Stadium Canberra, broadcast on Network 10 and Paramount+. It is the first of two games against Colombia, with the second at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong on Wednesday 2 December.
The stadium’s match page lists the gates opening with the time still to be confirmed. Its FAQ says gate times are specific to each event and tells people to check the match page. The match page also asks people to arrive as early as possible, so they do not get caught in queues, and to turn their phone’s brightness up and dark mode off for faster entry.
How do the free buses work?
The match page says free services will run return trips from the Queanbeyan, Belconnen, Gungahlin, Civic, Woden and Tuggeranong bus interchanges to the East gate at GIO Stadium Canberra. Transport Canberra buses will serve the Gungahlin and Belconnen routes, and CDC will serve the southside centres. After the match, buses leave from the East gate for the major interchanges.
| Departs from | Runs to | Timetable |
|---|---|---|
| Gungahlin interchange | East gate | To be posted once confirmed |
| Belconnen interchange | East gate | To be posted once confirmed |
| Civic interchange | East gate | To be posted once confirmed |
| Woden interchange | East gate | To be posted once confirmed |
| Tuggeranong interchange | East gate | To be posted once confirmed |
| Queanbeyan interchange | East gate | To be posted once confirmed |
The stadium’s public transport page describes the free game day buses it runs for ACT Brumbies and Canberra Raiders matches. For those games it says return services leave outside the East gate about 20 minutes after the game ends. The match page does not repeat that figure for the Matildas, so wait for the posted timetable before you plan a late connection.
Can I take the light rail?
The stadium’s pages do not list light rail as a way to reach Bruce for this match. The public transport page points people who cannot get to the free buses to Transport Canberra, and gives the phone number 13 17 10. For standalone NRLW matches the stadium says ticket holders can ride regular Transport Canberra buses and light rail to Bruce for free, but it does not say the same for the Matildas match, so do not assume your ticket covers regular services.
Where should I park?
The match page says parking is available at a fee on both the West and East sides of the stadium, and warns that the car parks are likely to fill quickly. It recommends parking closest to the bay on your ticket:
| Your ticket | Park in |
|---|---|
| Bays 22 to 32 and 63 to 75 | East car parks |
| Bays 1 to 20, 50 to 62 and 76 to 79 | West car parks |
Accessible parking is on both the East and West sides, and disability permits must be displayed. The driving and parking page gives the fee as $10 a vehicle and says that arriving at least 45 minutes before the start earns a $5 early bird discount. That page is a general one for the venue and the match page only says “at a fee”, so confirm the price on the day. The FAQ describes the fee as typically a cash fee, and says the stadium is a cash-preferred venue with no ATMs on site, so bring cash for the car park.
The stadium also warns that parking officers will be active in the precinct, that drivers should park legally and not on nature strips, and that some general road closures and managed access arrangements apply on the day. The roads with altered traffic for events are Battye Street, Braybrooke Street and Masterman Street.
Where is the overflow parking?
- Canberra Institute of Technology: reached via Purdie Street, Bruce, about a 10 minute walk to the stadium.
- University of Canberra: reached via College Street, Bruce, about a 20 minute walk to the stadium.
The stadium calls this “additional parking” that “may be available”, so it is not guaranteed. Allow for the walk back to the car after a night match.
How do drop-off, taxis and rideshare work?
All three are on the West side. The public drop-off and pick-up zone is on Leverrier Street in front of the AIS Arena, and vehicles enter from the northern end of Leverrier Street off Ginninderra Drive. The stadium says pick-up and drop-off on the East side is not possible because of traffic arrangements.
- Taxis: drop-off is on Battye Street on the West side, and after the match the taxi rank is about 75 metres from the western gates.
- Rideshare: set your pick-up and drop-off point to “AIS Arena” or “AIS Visitors Centre”, not GIO Stadium. The designated area is on Leverrier Street, and rideshare drivers may not use the taxi rank.
- E-scooters: they can be ridden to the stadium but must be left in the community drop-off zone on Leverrier Street, and they are not allowed inside.
Leaving by bus means going to the East gate, while leaving by taxi, rideshare or pick-up means walking to the West side. If you are meeting someone, agree on which side before the final whistle.
What else should I sort before leaving home?
- Tickets: the match page asks people to download the Ticketek app and add mobile tickets to their phone wallet before arriving, and to charge the phone fully.
- Pack light: bags are allowed but are searched at every entry point, and the stadium asks people to leave non-essential items at home. Our gate rules guide has the full list of banned items.
- Updates: the stadium says it will post parking and transport updates on its Facebook page on game day.
- Traffic questions: Access Canberra can be reached on 13 22 81 for traffic or related parking queries.
Sources
- GIO Stadium Canberra: CommBank Matildas v Colombia (checked 31 October 2026)
- GIO Stadium Canberra: Driving and Parking (checked 31 October 2026)
- GIO Stadium Canberra: Public Transport (checked 31 October 2026)
- GIO Stadium Canberra: FAQs (checked 31 October 2026)
- Football Australia: CommBank Matildas return to Victoria for Colombia blockbuster (published 7 October 2026)
Featured image: GIO Stadium Canberra (photo: DaHuzyBru / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with GIO Stadium Canberra, Football Australia, Transport Canberra or CDC Canberra. Bus times, prices and gate times can change; check the official pages above before you travel.