England is home to a wide array of multi-purpose indoor venues that host everything from major tournaments to league games across a variety of sports. This page provides a guide to some of the country’s most prominent indoor arenas, categorized by city. Click on a link to find out more about the venue and its sporting history.
Birmingham
- Utilita Arena Birmingham: Located in the heart of the city, this arena is a cornerstone for major events in the Midlands. It has hosted a diverse range of sports, including boxing, gymnastics, and was a key venue for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, featuring events like artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics.
Coventry
- Coventry Building Society Arena: A highly versatile venue that serves as the home stadium for Coventry City F.C. It also hosts major indoor events, including tournaments for snooker, darts, and tennis (including the Davis Cup), as well as wrestling and judo events during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Leeds
- First Direct Arena: This unique “super theatre” style venue has a rich history of hosting sports. It’s a popular location for boxing and wrestling, and has also welcomed international competitions for basketball and gymnastics.
Liverpool
- M&S Bank Arena: Situated on the city’s famous waterfront, the M&S Bank Arena opened in 2008 and is a key part of the ACC Liverpool complex. It has a seating capacity of up to 11,000 and has hosted a wide range of sporting events, including the Davis Cup tennis and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, in addition to boxing, MMA, and basketball.
London
- Alexandra Palace: Known affectionately as “Ally Pally,” this historic venue is a favourite for darts, most notably hosting the PDC World Darts Championship. It is also a key location for snooker’s Masters tournament.
- Copper Box Arena: Located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, this venue hosted events during the 2012 Olympic Games. It is now a flexible space that serves as the home court for the London Lions basketball team and London Pulse netball team, and has also hosted esports and handball.
- The O2 Arena: One of the world’s most famous arenas, The O2 hosts a wide variety of sporting events. Past events have included the ATP Finals (tennis), NBA games, gymnastics, boxing, and major UFC fights.
- Wembley Arena: Situated next to the famous football stadium, Wembley Arena has a rich history of hosting sports, including boxing matches, ice hockey, basketball, and world-class tennis events.
Manchester
- AO Arena: As one of the largest and busiest indoor arenas in Europe, this venue is a staple for major sporting events in the north of England. It has been a key host for boxing, basketball, and the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
Milton Keynes
- Marshall Arena: Part of the Stadium MK complex, this modern, multi-use arena is a popular location for snooker tournaments and has also hosted a variety of other sporting and non-sporting events.
Sheffield
- Crucible Theatre: The “spiritual home of snooker,” this intimate theatre has hosted the prestigious World Snooker Championship annually since 1977. It is also used for a range of other indoor sports, including table tennis and squash.
Last Updated on August 25, 2025 by Sports Tourist