UK Arenas for Unmissable Events

First on our list is Manchester Arena, the second largest indoor arena in Europe. The venue has an impressive 21,000-capacity and welcomes over one-million attendees each year from around the world. 

Since opening its doors in 1995, Manchester Arena has lent its stage to some of the most iconic global names including bands, comedians, and performers. As well as its musical offering, Manchester arena regularly accommodates major sporting events including boxing, swimming and even the Commonwealth Games. 

The city of Manchester is iconic for its musical heritage, and fittingly, the arena has hosted some of the city’s best-loved local stars including Oasis, Take That, Elbow and Happy Mondays, alongside huge international stars such as The Rolling Stones, U2, and Madonna. 

Next up is the O2 Arena, which is situated in southwest London. On the site of the former Millennium Dome, the O2 opened in 2007 and is now a multi-purpose indoor arena within the larger O2 entertainment complex. 

With a capacity of 20,000, the arena itself takes the title of second largest indoor venue in the UK behind Manchester Arena and has played host to some of the world’s most well-known performers like Prince, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Spice Girls, and Led Zeppelin.

Alongside musical megastars and famous funnymen, the venue has hosted important events in sporting history including some of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and frequently accommodates WWE and basketball games. 

Finally, Birmingham Arena, formally known as the National Indoor Arena and the Barclaycard Arena. The popular West Midlands venue holds a capacity of nearly 16,000, and hosts major sports, comedy and music events throughout the year. 

The arena has hosted a variety of sports championships since its opening in 1991 and accommodates regular sports fixtures today. Alongside sports, the Birmingham Arena has seen some of the biggest names in entertainment light up its stage, including Take That, Elton John, Rod Stewart, and Tina Turner. 

From sporting events and musical sensations to evenings of comedy gold, you can catch it all at the Birmingham Arena. 

Looking for hotels near Birmingham Arena? No matter your budget, here at Accor Hotels, we’ve got a range of beautiful hotels available, all ideally located all around the city centre.