 Starting with the 2012 season , the Highlanders moved into the Forsyth Barr Stadium , opened in August 2011 . It was built to replace their original home of Carisbrook , which was no longer suitable for international rugby , or as a venue for the 2011 Rugby World Cup . The Carisbrook Stadium Trust was established in 2006 to manage the planning and construction of a new stadium . The new stadium is not on the current Carisbrook site , but instead near the University of Otago and Otago Harbour . It is a roofed , all weather stadium with a rectangular configuration , and permanent seating capacity of 25 @,@ 000 that could be expanded to 30 @,@ 748 if necessary . 
