The British Arena is designed as a truly multi-purpose venue — built to flex, adapt, and transform for a wide range of esports, gaming, education, and business events. While it serves as a national stage for competitive gaming and live tournaments, its layout and technology also support broadcast production, training sessions, exhibitions, and industry showcases.
With professional production capability, modular staging, and performance-ready infrastructure, the British Arena is not limited to one format or audience
The British Arena is a brand-new 15,000 sq ft gaming and esports venue being built by British Esports, designed as the UK’s national esports home. It will host competitive gaming events, live shows, community gatherings, broadcast studios, immersive audience experiences and more.
The arena sits in Sunderland, directly beside the Stadium of Light, within the wider National Esports Performance Campus — the UK’s leading esports and performance hub.
It’s planned to open in early 2026, with construction underway now (as of early 2026).
The arena is designed to host a wide range of experiences, including:
No — it’s being built as a multi-purpose space. Alongside competitive play, there will be areas for socialising, broadcast production, and entertainment, making it a home for gaming, community, and media.
Details on ticketing aren’t fully released yet — when events are announced, British Esports will generally share ticket info via their website and event platforms. Keep an eye on their news pages for announcements.
Everyone is welcome — from fans and students to families and corporate groups — depending on the event or booking. Some events may focus on specific audiences (e.g., competitive tournaments), while others will be open to the public.
It’s being developed and managed by British Esports, the national federation for esports in the UK — a body focused on promoting, improving, and supporting competitive gaming and talent development nationwide.
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