Pope Leo XIV Expected to Visit Randwick in 2028

Royal Randwick Racecourse tipped to host major papal gathering as Sydney prepares for Pope Leo XIV to attend the International Eucharistic Congress 2028

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Expectations are building for a historic papal visit to Sydney and Randwick in 2028, with Pope Leo XIV widely anticipated to attend the global International Eucharistic Congress.

Scheduled to take place in Sydney during the spring of 2028, the congress is one of the Catholic Church’s largest international events, drawing pilgrims from across the world. While the Vatican has not yet released a final itinerary, indications strongly suggest the Pope will travel to Australia to preside over key celebrations, including a major closing mass.

The event is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of attendees, with Royal Randwick Racecourse flagged as a likely venue for the large-scale gathering. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese formally extended an invitation in 2025, with church and government officials working closely on early planning.

The visit would mark the first time a pope has travelled to Australia in two decades.

Four previous papal visits (Pope Paul VI in 1970; Pope John Paul II in 1986 and again in 1995 when he beatified Mary MacKillop; Pope Benedict XVI for World Youth Day in 2008) featured an open mass at Royal Randwick. The World Youth Day mass drew an estimated record crowd of 400,000 to the racecourse.

The 2028 visit has the potential to become one of the largest religious gatherings ever staged in Australia.