Central Park (Wigan)

Central Park opened on 6 September 1902 with Wigan beating Batley 14-8 in front of an estimated 9,000 fans. It hosted the first rugby league international on 5 April 1904 between England and Other Nationalities. Floodlights were installed on 120ft pylons in 1967. The ground's most significant moment came on 7 October 1987, when it staged the inaugural World Club Challenge between Wigan and Manly-Warringah, an event that became an annual fixture. Central Park also hosted the 1992 World Club Challenge against the Brisbane Broncos. In 1997, the club's shareholders accepted a bid from Tesco to buy the ground, and the final game was played on 5 September 1999. Wigan Warriors moved to the new DW Stadium (then JJB Stadium) the following season.

Central Park's record attendance of 47,747 for a league match against St Helens in 1959 remains a record for a rugby league regular season game in Britain. The 1987 World Club Challenge against Manly-Warringah was the first ever meeting between the English and Australian champions, and its success led to the event becoming an annual fixture. Many who attended that night believe the crowd was closer to 50,000, far exceeding the 36,000 capacity at the time. The final game on 5 September 1999 was played 96 years and 364 days after the first. The site is now a Tesco supermarket, with a statue marking where the famous ground once stood.