British Esports has confirmed that construction will begin later this year on the UK’s new national Gaming and Esports Arena, following the approval of multi-million-pound financing from an undisclosed High Street bank. The venue is expected to begin construction in September 2025 and open in early 2026.
Located next to the National Esports Performance Campus (NEPC) in Sunderland, the 15,000 sq. ft. (~1.400 square meters) facility will be the first esports arena of its kind in Europe developed by a national federation. Designed to host live events and elite-level esports competition, it will also serve as a training and education hub for athletes and students.
According to the official press release, the custom-built venue will feature a 200-seat theatre, a 17-metre-wide LED screen, performance rooms, broadcast and content studios, retail and hospitality spaces, and an outdoor activation area. The arena is intended to support preparations for international events such as the Esports World Cup and Olympic Esports Games.
Described by British Esports Chair Andy Payne OBE as a “St George’s Park for esports,” the arena is part of a broader vision to make Sunderland a leading hub for competitive gaming and digital skills. “The flexibility of the arena will be what makes it a sustainable facility that drives value back to British Esports,” Payne said. “It completes a multi-year vision to develop a campus that’s built to develop esports athletes, deliver first-class events, and support entrepreneurs and creators.”
The facility will also play a key role in grassroots development. Students taking part in British Esports’ Student Champs tournaments, as well as those studying esports-focused BTEC and university courses, will have access to real-time learning experiences, from production to competition.
The arena will be open for private bookings and will cater to a variety of events beyond esports, including music performances, gaming industry gatherings and national tournaments. Regarding opportunities for brand activations, the announcement made it clear that naming rights are currently available.
The project forms part of the Riverside Sunderland regeneration initiative, which includes investments in new housing, offices, leisure developments, and an electric vehicle hub led by Nissan. Cllr Michael Mordey, Leader of Sunderland City Council, called the arena “a game-changing development” and said it would create high-skilled jobs while helping to establish Sunderland as the ‘UK’s home of esports’.
The new arena will join the NEPC, a multi-site campus launched in 2023. The campus includes bootcamp facilities, gaming houses for up to 27 guests, innovation and education suites, and is already in use by international teams including Team Falcons and Great Britain’s national squads in NBA 2K and Rocket League.
British Esports also reached business news recently for delivering the first-of-its-kind esports suite onboard the HMS Prince of Wales, in partnership with the British Royal Navy.
