Principality Stadium

Every major stadium lighting project is unique. They each bring their own priorities and goals, a distinctive architectural environment, a unique geographical setting, and a host of other issues and challenges that must be addressed.

But when a project brings together long-time partners with a proven history of exceptional collaboration and teamwork, amazing things can happen.

Such was the case recently with Musco’s lighting project at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

Home of the Welsh Rugby Union, the 74,000-seat Principality Stadium has long been regarded as a world-class venue for major sports and entertainment events.

Musco first worked with the team at Principality Stadium over a decade ago, during the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympics for which the venue hosted men’s and women’s football matches.

When Crossman and other leaders at Principality Stadium determined the time was right to make the transition to an advanced LED lighting system – after doing extensive research and due diligence – their choice for a lighting provider and partner was clear.

The decision to transition to LED was also driven, in part, by the United Kingdom and Ireland being chosen as host nations for UEFA Euro 2028.

Staging matches for such an iconic international event brought with it elevated pitch lighting requirements in order to meet broadcast standards for UEFA and FIFA, as well as for future international rugby matches.

As with the original lighting project over a decade earlier, the Musco Team and their counterparts with Principality Stadium formed an efficient collaborative partnership, from initial planning and design through installation and commissioning.

Additionally, McSherry Electrical was brought on during installation to ensure the new, customized LED system could go in without disrupting the stadium’s busy event schedule. Musco and McSherry, too, are long-time partners who’ve collaborated on a wide range of projects including Aviva Stadium, London Stadium, Riverside Stadium, and the original project at Principality Stadium, among several others.

Much More Than Exceptional Light Levels

And while they achieved the exceptional light levels, glare reduction, and uniformity the stadium needed to meet broadcast requirements, in the end they got much more.

The new system features custom-built bracketing that fits seamlessly with the stadium’s existing architecture and aesthetic; as well as newly designed aisle lighting that eliminates glare, meets health and safety standards, and can be integrated into the system’s new color-changing special effects technology.

Designed and built specifically for integrated stadium applications, the special effects lighting and controls is intuitive enough for the stadium’s in-house team to execute cutting-edge light shows, and at the same time has the versatility for visiting concert crews to integrate it seamlessly with their special effects systems.

With the new LED system and special effects lighting capabilities in place, Principality Stadium is poised to reach even greater heights as a world-class venue for international sports, concerts, and other entertainment events.

“This project shows what’s possible when you bring a team together that’s experienced, collaborative, and trusts one another,” Limpach said. “The team at Principality Stadium is exceptional to work with, and the result of this project is something we can all take a lot of pride in.”