Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena is set to receive a new name. The venue — ranked among Billboard’s Top 5 Live Music Venues in the World in 2025 and the largest indoor arena in Australasia — will be rebranded as Afterpay Arena under a five-year naming rights partnership with the buy-now-pay-later platform, the companies announced Wednesday (May 20).
The deal, which runs through 2031, goes beyond a name change. Afterpay Arena will become the first major entertainment venue in Australia to offer end-to-end payment flexibility across the entire fan experience — from ticket purchase through to food, beverage and merchandise transactions on the night.
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Afterpay’s Pay in Four instalment product will be available for ticket purchases, while Block stablemate Square will power point-of-sale transactions throughout the venue. Physical transformation of the venue, including new external signage, interior refreshes and fully integrated payment touchpoints, is currently underway. During the transition period, the venue will continue to operate as Qudos Bank Arena.
The commercial rationale is backed by new Afterpay-commissioned research: 94% of cost-affected event-goers have missed live events due to upfront payment barriers, while 58% of consumers say they would be more likely to attend events with flexible payment options available. A further 74% said they would spend more at venues offering payment choice.
“Live experiences are one of the more meaningful ways people choose to spend their time,” said Nick Molnar, co-founder and CEO of Afterpay. “We wanted to be the brand that makes sure nothing gets in the way of that. What we’ve built here is genuinely end-to-end — the flexibility starts when you buy your ticket and carries through to fans’ meal and a piece of merch on the night.”
Harvey Lister AM, President and CEO of Legends Global (Asia Pacific & Middle East), which operates the venue, said the partnership represented a significant shift in how Australians access live entertainment. “More than 1.1 million people walk through this Arena’s doors every year,” he said. “Afterpay’s five-year commitment is a genuine investment in Australian culture and in every single one of those fans.”
Leased by TEG and operated by Legends Global, the venue opened in 1999 with a performance by Luciano Pavarotti and has since hosted artists including Billie Eilish, Rüfüs Du Sol and TWICE, alongside major sporting events, comedy and family entertainment.
Its 15 millionth ticket was sold during Linkin Park’s Tour 2026 World Tour. Afterpay is part of Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ; ASX: SQ2), whose portfolio also includes Square, Cash App and TIDAL.
