The Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney will be renamed Afterpay Arena under a five-year deal starting in the coming months, with the venue remaining officially named during the transition.

The rebrand includes fully integrated Afterpay and Square payment touchpoints across the arena to enable seamless end-to-end transactions from ticket purchase to on-site purchases.

Afterpay co-founder and CEO Nick Molnar says the aim is to remove friction in live experiences by giving fans end-to-end payment flexibility powered by Square technology.

The venue’s first ever event was a Luciano Pavarotti concert, underscoring its long-standing role in Australia’s entertainment landscape.

The arena handles more than 1.1 million visitors annually, and the deal is framed as an investment in Australian culture and fans.

Located in Sydney Olympic Park, the arena is Australia’s largest permanent indoor sports and entertainment venue with about 21,000 seats and serves as home to the Sydney Kings.

Since opening in 1999, the venue has hosted major events and is recognized as a premier site for live experiences in Australia.

Legends Global Asia Pacific & Middle East operates the arena, with CEO Harvey Lister stating the partnership will improve access to live entertainment for over a million annual visitors.

The arena, opened as the Sydney SuperDome and redeveloped for the 2000 Olympic Games, now ranks among the world’s top arenas and draws over 1.1 million visitors each year.

Lister notes that Afterpay’s popularity in Australia will help fans secure tickets and enhance the guest experience.

The deal’s cost was not disclosed in the media release.

Afterpay argues the move reduces upfront payment barriers, citing research that high upfront costs deter attendance and that flexible payments could boost attendance and in-venue spending.