Plans have emerged for a new 25,000-capacity arena, named the ‘London Colosseum,’ which hopes to become the UK’s primary hub for global esports events.
The venue is set to be the home of London’s franchise team in the new NBA Europe League, but there are also plans for it to host world championship boxing and international esports finals.
The planned venue will be located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, which also hosts West Ham’s London Stadium and the Copper Box.
The Copper Box has strong ties to esports already, having previously hosted the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) Season 5 World Championship and is the venue for next month’s Valorant Masters London.
With a capacity of up to 25k, the London Colosseum would become the UK’s largest indoor arena.
This would see it overtake the 23,500 capacity of the Co-Op Live in Manchester and London’s 20k-seater O2 Arena.
The key to this planned arena is its versatility, according to its architect, Ondrej Chybik:
“By prioritising genuine multifunctionality, the arena and its surrounding public spaces are built to evolve, actively combating the inefficiency of traditional, single-use stadiums.”
There are also plans for the venue to help develop British gaming talent and grassroots esports with the London Colosseum Academy.
This second site will be connected to the arena and feature two 3k-seat venues and an international esports training campus.
The hope is that this will provide pathways for British talents to become elite players while offering educational support.
The Current State of Esports in the UK
The esports scene in the UK is a bit of a mixed bag.
The future of the local League of Legends tournament is up in the air as the NLC is splitting into two separate leagues, one for the UK and Ireland and another for Nordic countries, after the original tournament organiser quit.
Meanwhile, UK games industry trade body Ukie has created a UK Esports Advisory Panel to facilitate discussion with DCMS (the British Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport) to strengthen the nation’s esports industry.
And more esports events are coming to the UK as DreamHack Birmingham is confirmed to return in 2027.
What do you think of the esports plans for the London Colosseum? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord.
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