The Millennium Stadium's step-up into the big league of rock venues took a major leap forward yesterday when it was announced Oasis are to headline a concert in front of an expected audience of 60,000.

The band, one of the biggest in the world, were yesterday confirmed as the main act at Noise & Confusion 05, to be held at the stadium on December 10.

Other major artists already secured to support them are Reading Festival headliners Foo Fighters along with Razorlight and The Coral, with many other bands expected to be added shortly.

Oasis, managed by Ebbw Vale-born Marcus Russell, sent promoters to the venue to watch how it staged the massive U2 show last month.

The band were so impressed with their report on the sound and setting, they agreed to disrupt a tour of Australia later this year to fly to Cardiff to play the one-off gig.

A spokesperson for the group, headed by the controversial Gallagher brothers, Noel and Liam, said, 'This is already a sensational line up, and a superb opportunity to stage an annual end-of-year music event in Europe's largest indoor venue.

'It will involve a mouth- watering selection of established and up and coming live bands.'

The group, who have scored massive worldwide hits with such tracks as Champagne Supernova, Rock and Roll Star, Wonderwall and Cigarettes and Alcohol, are the latest in a series of high-profile acts to perform at the stadium.

Already this year the venue has played host to U2 and REM. Both gigs showed that the stadium's £1m investment in a 'short hall' facility this year is paying dividends.

But its biggest draw came in January, when a concert to raise money for people left devastated by the Boxing Day tsunami was watched by millions.

Stadium boss Paul Sergeant said it would be 'daft' not to acknowledge the positive press which accompanied the Tsunami Relief Concert which raised more than £1m.

The show featured short performances from acts as diverse as Charlotte Church, Manic Street Preachers, Eric Clapton and Lulu.

Mr Sergeant said, 'It would be daft to say that we didn't get any benefit out of the tsunami gig.

'Of course we did, but that's not why we did it.

'But that did help put our name out there and since then we've been talking to lots and lots of promoters about bringing more big-name acts to Cardiff.'

Mr Sergeant revealed that he had been in negotiations with promoters of the Oasis concert 'for a few months'.

'When U2 were here a lot of the great and the good from the music industry came along and liked what they saw of the venue.

'Among them were promoters for Oasis who went back to the lads and told them this would be a great venue for them as we have a roof and they can play with it shut if they want.

'That's basically how it happened.

'Oasis are a huge band and the acts which are supporting them are also big.

'It would be nice to have them all play on separate days, but as a one-off gig for the people of Wales it's going to be a great day.'

Mr Sergeant believes festival favourites such as The Coral and Razorlight will be suitably impressed with the venue and return to play, albeit to smaller crowds.

'After the tsunami gig we made a £1m investment in creating a tailor-made arena space for bands at the stadium,' he added.

'REM were the first band to appear at the new-look 'short hall' in the stadium, which features a full lighting rig and modular stage.

'We can scale it down to hold 12,000 or make it bigger so that 46,500 can come in.

'But we don't need that with Oasis - they'll play to at least a 60,000 capacity.'

Rumours also abound that other huge stars are set to book the arena for future gigs, but the general manager refused to be drawn on speculation in the rock world.

'I can't tell you who's coming yet as we're always in talks with promoters and more often than not we don't know which acts or bands they're representing.

'But there are no other biggies in the pipeline. There are so many rumours going around, saying people like Robbie Williams, Madonna, Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen are coming, but I honestly don't know.'