Latest news with #BritishEsports
BBC News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Sunderland national esports arena to open in 2026
A new national gaming and esports arena is set to open next year after funding was secured for the facility in Sunderland will host tournaments including Olympic and World Cup Esports, the national federation for the UK, said the 15,000 sq ft arena would be situated alongside the existing National Esports Performance Campus, near the city's Stadium of is set to begin in September and it is due to open by the end of March, with Sunderland City Council describing the site as a "fantastic addition" to the area. British Esports said it would have a 200-seat theatre, a 56ft-wide (17m) LED screen, broadcast, content and editing studios, as well as retail and hospitality will also become a training and education hub where players can practice under tournament Payne OBE, chairman of British Esports, likened it to the St George's Park National Football Centre, saying it would be a "flagship" and "help train the next generation of esports talent"."This significant development marks another crucial step forward in British Esports' mission to champion grassroots esports development and elite athlete performance across the nation and globally," he said."We have designed our facility so that on any given day we could be a training and performance hub, running a global esports tournament, hosting a publisher game launch or hired out as a music venue." Michael Mordey, leader of the Labour-led council, said the gaming and esports arena was "a fantastic addition" to other projects taking place."It is a game-changing development which will cement Sunderland's reputation as the home of esports in the UK, while providing a major boost to the regional economy, creating high-skilled jobs for local people and attracting visitors from across the globe to our transforming city."The announcement comes as the Esports Performance Campus hosts the final of the British Esports Student Champs this of the UK's best student teams will be competing, having been whittled down from 750 that entered at the beginning of the 2024/25 season. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Scottish Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
UK's first-of-its-kind eGaming attraction to open in seaside city – with huge 200-seat arena and live shows
Plus, the 'world's greatest' music attraction hoping to open in the UK – with plans for massive live shows READY PLAYER UK's first-of-its-kind eGaming attraction to open in seaside city – with huge 200-seat arena and live shows Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK. British Esports has announced that it will open its flagship Gaming and Esports Arena in Sunderland next year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A first-of-its-kind e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK Credit: British Esports Stretching across 15,000-square-feet, the arena will host live events, competitions and have immersive audience experiences for egamers and egaming fans. Short for 'electronic sports', esports involves people competing against each other through video gaming - either in a team or as an individual. The new venue will include a 200-seat theatre for visitors, where there will be a 17-metre-wide screen to watch the action. Spectators and gamers will also be able to explore different shops. In addition to all this, there will be a number of performance rooms and an outdoor space for events in an attempt to make the arena one of the best esports destinations in the world. Athletes will be able to train at the venue like they are in an actual competition, as well as learn about esports. This includes professional esports players, who can also use the new arena to practice for upcoming events like the Esports World Cup and the Olympic Esports Games. Students and future esports players can also develop their skills at the arena. The venue won't just be for the players, but will also have spaces for all those involved in the sport including broadcasting studios. Away from esports events, the arena will be used for private events, live music and community events too. The state-of-the-art venue will be located next to the Stadium of Light - the home of Premier League football team AFC Sunderland. Inside £49m 'Stadium of the Year' which saw world record set and is more popular than the Bernabeu It will also be alongside the National Esports Performance Campus (NEPC) which opened back in 2023. At the NEPC - which is also the HQ for the British Esports Federation - visitors can partake in esports bootcamp training and esports education. Work will begin on the venue in September and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. The UK is home to a number of other esports venues including the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London. Big sporting events like Formula E at the ExCeL in London also host egaming activities, where visitors can play on race car simulators like they themselves are in the race. 3 British Esports has announced that it's flagship Gaming and Esports Arena will be located in Sunderland Credit: British Esports Andy Payne OBE, chair of British Esports, said: "This is our St George's Park for esports, a national home with world-class performance spaces that will help train the next generation of esports talent and help to grow the region to be a key leader in esports in the UK. "We have designed our facility so that on any given day we could be a training and performance hub, running a global esports tournament, hosting a publisher game launch or hired out as a music venue. Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council also said they were "thrilled" with the news, which was part of a huge regeneration of Sunderland. He added: "Billions of pounds of investment will see our city transformed in the coming years, with thousands of new homes, Grade A offices, a new Nissan electric vehicle hub and a plethora of new leisure developments rising from the ground, and the Gaming and Esports Arena is a fantastic addition to this mix. "It is a game-changing development which will cement Sunderland's reputation as the home of esports in the UK, while providing a major boost to the regional economy, creating high skilled jobs for local people and attracting visitors from across the globe to our transforming city." A new immersive attraction is also set to open in the UK with indoor racing track and 'top secret' games. Plus, the 'world's greatest' music attraction hoping to open in the UK – with plans for massive live shows.
The Irish Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
UK's first-of-its-kind eGaming attraction to open in seaside city – with huge 200-seat arena and live shows
A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK. British Esports has announced that it will open its flagship Gaming and Esports Arena in Sunderland next year. 3 A first-of-its-kind e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK Credit: British Esports Stretching across 15,000-square-feet, the arena will host live events, competitions and have immersive audience experiences for egamers and egaming fans. Short for 'electronic sports', esports involves people competing against each other through video gaming - either in a team or as an individual. The new venue will include a 200-seat theatre for visitors, where there will be a 17-metre-wide screen to watch the action. Spectators and gamers will also be able to explore different shops. Read more on events arenas In addition to all this, there will be a number of performance rooms and an outdoor space for events in an attempt to make the arena one of the best esports destinations in the world. Athletes will be able to train at the venue like they are in an actual competition, as well as learn about esports. This includes professional esports players, who can also use the new arena to practice for upcoming events like the Esports World Cup and the Olympic Esports Games. Students and future esports players can also develop their skills at the arena. Most read in News Travel The venue won't just be for the players, but will also have spaces for all those involved in the sport including broadcasting studios. Away from esports events, the arena will be used for private events, live music and community events too. The state-of-the-art venue will be located next to the Stadium of Light - the home of Premier League football team AFC Sunderland . Inside £49m 'Stadium of the Year' which saw world record set and is more popular than the Bernabeu It will also be alongside the National Esports Performance Campus (NEPC) which opened back in 2023. At the NEPC - which is also the HQ for the British Esports Federation - visitors can partake in esports bootcamp training and esports education. Work will begin on the venue in September and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. The UK is home to a number of other esports venues including the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London. Big sporting events like Formula E at the ExCeL in London also host egaming activities, where visitors can play on race car simulators like they themselves are in the race. 3 British Esports has announced that it's flagship Gaming and Esports Arena will be located in Sunderland Credit: British Esports Andy Payne OBE, chair of British Esports, said: "This is our St George's Park for esports, a national home with world-class performance spaces that will help train the next generation of esports talent and help to grow the region to be a key leader in esports in the UK. "We have designed our facility so that on any given day we could be a training and performance hub, running a global esports tournament, hosting a publisher game launch or hired out as a Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council also said they were "thrilled" with the news, which was part of a huge regeneration of Sunderland. He added: "Billions of pounds of investment will see our city transformed in the coming years, with thousands of new homes , Grade A offices, a new Nissan electric vehicle hub and a plethora of new leisure developments rising from the ground, and the Gaming and Esports Arena is a fantastic addition to this mix. "It is a game-changing development which will cement Sunderland's reputation as the home of esports in the UK, while providing a major boost to the regional economy, creating high skilled jobs for local people and attracting visitors from across the globe to our transforming A Plus, the 3 The arena is due to open next year Credit: British Esports
The Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
UK's first-of-its-kind eGaming attraction to open in seaside city – with huge 200-seat arena and live shows
A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND e-gaming arena has been given the green light for the UK. British Esports has announced that it will open its flagship Gaming and Esports Arena in Sunderland next year. 3 Stretching across 15,000-square-feet, the arena will host live events, competitions and have immersive audience experiences for egamers and egaming fans. Short for 'electronic sports', esports involves people competing against each other through video gaming - either in a team or as an individual. The new venue will include a 200-seat theatre for visitors, where there will be a 17-metre-wide screen to watch the action. Spectators and gamers will also be able to explore different shops. In addition to all this, there will be a number of performance rooms and an outdoor space for events in an attempt to make the arena one of the best esports destinations in the world. Athletes will be able to train at the venue like they are in an actual competition, as well as learn about esports. This includes professional esports players, who can also use the new arena to practice for upcoming events like the Esports World Cup and the Olympic Esports Games. Students and future esports players can also develop their skills at the arena. The venue won't just be for the players, but will also have spaces for all those involved in the sport including broadcasting studios. Away from esports events, the arena will be used for private events, live music and community events too. The state-of-the-art venue will be located next to the Stadium of Light - the home of Premier League football team AFC Sunderland. Inside £49m 'Stadium of the Year' which saw world record set and is more popular than the Bernabeu It will also be alongside the National Esports Performance Campus (NEPC) which opened back in 2023. At the NEPC - which is also the HQ for the British Esports Federation - visitors can partake in esports bootcamp training and esports education. Work will begin on the venue in September and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. The UK is home to a number of other esports venues including the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London. Big sporting events like Formula E at the ExCeL in London also host egaming activities, where visitors can play on race car simulators like they themselves are in the race. 3 Andy Payne OBE, chair of British Esports, said: "This is our St George's Park for esports, a national home with world-class performance spaces that will help train the next generation of esports talent and help to grow the region to be a key leader in esports in the UK. "We have designed our facility so that on any given day we could be a training and performance hub, running a global esports tournament, hosting a publisher game launch or hired out as a music venue. Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council also said they were "thrilled" with the news, which was part of a huge regeneration of Sunderland. He added: "Billions of pounds of investment will see our city transformed in the coming years, with thousands of new homes, Grade A offices, a new Nissan electric vehicle hub and a plethora of new leisure developments rising from the ground, and the Gaming and Esports Arena is a fantastic addition to this mix. "It is a game-changing development which will cement Sunderland's reputation as the home of esports in the UK, while providing a major boost to the regional economy, creating high skilled jobs for local people and attracting visitors from across the globe to our transforming city." A new immersive attraction is also set to open in the UK with indoor racing track and 'top secret' games. Plus, the 'world's greatest' music attraction hoping to open in the UK – with plans for massive live shows. 3
Metro
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Inside the UK's new 200-seater 'ambitious' gaming and esports arena
A new flagship gaming and Esports arena is set to open next year. Multi-million pound funding has been secured for the 15,000 square foot arena in Sunderland and will be Europe's first-of-its-kind 5G facility. The 200-seat arena will be built alongside the city's famous Stadium of Light, the home of the Premier League football team. Work will begin as soon as September and will open in 2026. Its main function will be to support competitive video game players in tournaments like the Esports World Cups and Olympic Esports Games. Athletes will be able to practice under tournament conditions, replicating the conditions of a live esports competition. The arena will also play host to students and future talent, which will help train them for school and college tournaments. The Gaming and Esports Arena will also play host to live music events, esports community events and national competitions. The city already has links to esports with the National Esports Performance Campus (NEPC) opened in the city in 2023. It has hosted an array of esports teams, including Esports World Cup winners Team Falcons, national Great Britain teams in NBA 2K and Rocket League. Adam Payne OBE, chair of British Esports, said the new arena would be 'our St George's Park for esports' that will 'help train the next generation of esports talent'. More Trending He added: 'The flexibility of the arena will be what makes it a sustainable facility that drives value back to British Esports, so that we can do more work for our community.' Councillor Michael Mordey hailed the development as 'one of the most ambitious regeneration schemes in the UK right now.' He said: 'It is a game-changing development which will cement Sunderland's reputation as the home of esports in the UK.' Mordey added that it would be a boost to the economy by creating high-skilled jobs for local people and attracting visitors from across the globe. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page.
