The new arena boom

All over the world, new arenas are taking shape, from major capitals to fast-growing regional hubs. Ben Lee spotlights the projects set to open in the near future.

NORTH AMERICA

TD Coliseum
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Scheduled reopening date: late 2025

Not a brand-new arena, per se, but a total renovation of an existing space. Oak View Group (partnering with Live Nation) is involved with transforming the FirstOntario Centre, enabling it to scale up to 18,000 capacity for concerts.

There will be 100 events planned per year, with Andrea Bocelli already booked for this December. It’s estimated to have cost CA$290m and includes the acoustical panelling featured across many OVG venues and a 10x10m support rigging that can accommodate larger touring shows.

OVG CEO Tim Leiweke says it will “completely transform the downtown area with its accessibility, technology-forward improvements, and priority on sustainability.”

Mobile Arena
Mobile, Alabama, US
Scheduled opening date: 2027

The $237m project to replace the Civic Center aims to entice more acts to stop by and perform in the scalable 10,000-cap venue. Concerts, family shows, and sporting events will make up the programme.

The 22-acre site has been designed to support the city’s Mardi Gras traditions, with multiple ballrooms and space for conventions. Conrad Albrizio’s 1965 mosaics that were displayed in the foyer of the old arena will also feature in the new building.

Mobile’s mayor, Sandy Stimpson, says OVG’s experience will “turn this new venue into a hub for entertainment, culture, and community on the Gulf Coast.”

LATIN AMERICA

Arena Primavera
Medellín, Colombia
Scheduled opening date: 2026

The fast-growing Colombian market is set to improve even further once Arena Primavera is completed. The 16,250-cap venue is part of an urban renewal master plan that is being redeveloped over a 55,000 sqm area.

The five-storey arena will programme around 75 events annually and welcome 600,000 visitors, with 1,000 direct and indirect jobs generated per event.

Designers HOK have implemented a changing LED façade, while natural ventilation and water conservation systems will position the arena as the country’s first carbon-neutral venue.

Arena Primavera will cost around $55m and is funded by consortium CLK Group, who own Movistar Arena in Bogotá.

CLK strategy director Gabriel Sanchez Olea says: “This new venue will complement Movistar Arena Colombia, strengthening Colombia’s position as a must-visit destination for artists touring South America. This is yet another step in our commitment to the country and the incredible talent of our people.”

EUROPE

Arena Brno
Brno, Czechia
Scheduled opening date: late 2026

Arena Brno is set to become one of the busiest arenas in Europe as it will be the home of ice hockey team HC Kometa Brno and will host Oktagon MMA matches. The venue will be able to seat just over 12,000, which can extend to 14,000 for concerts, with plans to programme a mixture of music, family shows, and sport.

Technical specifications include a 100-ton rigging capacity over the stage, 30m ceiling height, and retractable elements to build the stage away from the performance area.

The arena confirmed it would book in-house but is also collaborating with local and international promoters. The chairman of the venue’s board of directors, Petr Kratochvíl, says he could not “confirm anything 100% yet” regarding who it will work with but that “everything is going according to plan.”

Cardiff Atlantic Wharf Arena
Wales, UK
Scheduled opening date: 2026

Cardiff Atlantic Wharf Arena is part of a wider 30-acre regeneration project for Cardiff Bay. The venue was projected to have a capacity of 17,000 to host a mix of events that could be scaled down to 3,500-capacity.

But according to Architects’ Journal, the arena’s height, width, and length have shrunk, reducing the venue’s capacity from 17,000 to 15,348, due to inflation causing construction costs to jump from £180m to £280m, according to Wales Online.

It was reported that Live Nation (in partnership with OVG and Cardiff City Council) invested £100m into the arena. Cardiff City Council estimates 1m people will visit each year and says it could create £92m in annual spend and help stimulate an additional 1,000+ jobs in the area.

YTL Arena
Bristol, UK
Scheduled opening date: 2027/2028

The YTL Arena confirmed last year that it would be delaying opening for concerts. However, the Malaysian developer and naming-rights partner has since announced a £2bn investment injection to support the wider Brabazon Bristol development project so that progress could continue.

The 19,500-capacity, carbon-neutral arena will transform Filton Airfield’s hangars (where Concorde was built), into the UK’s fourth-largest indoor arena, with column-less exhibition and convention halls. It will host 140 events a year, with approximately 70–75% of programming dedicated to concerts.

The floor area reaches 11,000m2, with height clearance of 21 metres. It will also be a flexible hub for entertainment, film, TV, and music rehearsals. The new arena will ensure the UK’s biggest city without an arena will soon refute that claim after a 20-year wait since the initial plans were drawn up.

The arena’s CEO, Andrew Billingham, says: “We have tackled challenges head-on, making crucial decisions to expedite the opening while ensuring we deliver one of the premier arenas in Europe.”

Arena Milano
Italy
Scheduled opening date: 2025/2026

In the southeast of the city, the 16,000-capacity Arena Milano will become Italy’s largest indoor venue, according to its operator CTS Eventim. The €180m multipurpose arena will also have 10,000sqm of space for open-air events.

Part of the Milano Santa Giulia urban development project, Arena Milano will be used for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The design by architect Sir David Chipperfield includes three aluminium rings of increasing heights that wrap around the whole building, evoking similarities to the city’s former Roman amphitheatre. It will be powered by 4,000 south-facing photovoltaic roof panels, which will enable it to meet its energy needs sustainably.

CTS Eventim have brought in Luca Martinazzoli as MD ahead of the venue’s completion.

“With Milan as a global hub of culture and innovation, the arena presents a unique opportunity to inspire audiences and attract world-class events,” says Martinazzoli.

Munich Arena
Germany
Scheduled opening date: 2029

The Munich Arena (formerly MUCcc), with its prime location close to Munich International Airport, will boast a capacity of 20,000. Live Nation have recently been announced as a long-term partner for the building, which has been designed by Populous in a 270° horseshoe shape.

It is hoped that the arena will receive DGNB Gold certification through the reduction of its carbon footprint during construction, as well as sustainable strategies for building operation. It will install several thousand PV/solar panels on the roof of the arena, car park, and hotel, in order to provide self-sufficient energy.

A recent Deloitte study estimates an annual gross value-added impact of €354m for the local economy, plus, an additional €391m projected during the construction phase. The wood-steel hybrid roof beams will span over 100 metres, with an integrated rigging level, and specialist audio firms have been engaged to ensure that eventgoers will benefit from “perfect sound” no matter where they’re seated.

Live Nation EMEA venues president Tom Lynch says: “We are proud to be part of this groundbreaking project in Bavaria, which has the potential to become a cultural and live entertainment hotspot at the heart of Europe.”

Ratapiha Arena
Turku, Finland
Scheduled opening date: 2029

The 10,000-capacity Ratapiha Arena will be the centrepiece of the Turku Railway Yard development that hopes to attract 5–6m visitors a year. The venue is set to open along with residential buildings, costing at least €410m, with a train connection currently being constructed between Turku and Helsinki enabling easier access.

Ticketmaster was appointed as its ticketing partner for concerts, and Turku Live will operate the venue. Ratapiha Arena will also become the home of HC TPS ice hockey team, with capacity scaling down to 8,900 for matches.

Roig Arena
Valencia, Spain
Scheduled opening date: 2025

With more than 30 concerts already announced, this much- anticipated, highly-flexible venue in Spain’s third most- populous city will be a welcome addition to the market.

Covering 47,000 sqm and with a capacity of up to 20,000 for concerts, Roig Arena has programmed its first events for the autumn with Camilo performing in September followed by André Rieu, The Psychedelic Furs, and Hans Zimmer.

Juan Roig, president of Spanish supermarket giant Mercadona, has funded the €280m project. The venue will scale down to 15,600 for when Valencia Basket Club play games there, while football club Villarreal have secured a sponsorship deal with the arena.

The venue’s MD, Víctor Sendra, says: “There is no venue like it in Spain. We are completely changing the mentality.”

ASIA

Kyoto Arena
Japan
Scheduled opening date: TBC

The Kyoto Arena is being built to address the prefecture of Kyoto’s shortage of indoor facilities for touring events. It is located in the city of Mukō on a site that also houses the Mukomachi Keirin Velodrome. The arena will seat 8,925 fans for sporting events and 9,328 for concerts.

It is intended that it will become the future home of basketball team Kyoto Hannaryz, amid a potential nine new venues planned across the country. The arena will adhere to new rules for Japan’s men’s basketball leagues, as the B. League requires average attendance of 4,000 per game in venues that can hold at least 5,000.

Kyoto Prefecture has signed an agreement with a consortium to develop the new venue, which is expected to cost ¥34.8bn.

IG Arena
Nagoya, Japan
Scheduled opening date: 2025

With a summer opening approaching fast, the 17,500-capacity IG Arena will welcome 1.4m visitors to over 150 events a year.

Set inside Nagoya Castle, the venue will replace Aichi Arena, with its hybrid oval bowl enabling both oval and horseshoe configurations. It will be the first in Japan to offer a fine dining experience in an arena.

Operated by Aichi Smart Arena Group, a consortium that includes AEG, it will be the main indoor venue for the 2026 Asian Games and has already welcomed Hans Zimmer for a pre-opening test event.

IG Japan’s Tomoharu Furuichi says he believes “IG Arena will mark a new chapter for both fans and the city of Nagoya.”

Osaka Arena
Japan
Scheduled opening date: 2030

Located within Expo ‘70 Commemorative Park, Osaka Arena will host over 145 concerts and welcome 1.6m visitors per year. The 18,000-seater will include 42 suites and three hospitality lounges and is part of an entertainment district.
AEG is partnering with the Mitsubishi Corporation Urban Development and Kanden Realty & Development on the arena, which will include a retractable seating system and rigging grid to allow for smooth overnight changeovers from one event to another, ensuring the arena can be booked at maximum capacity all year round.

Bangkok Mall Arena
Thailand
Scheduled opening date: 2028

The 18,000-capacity Bangkok Mall Arena, adjacent to the Mall of Bangkok, will aim to welcome a million guests across more than 90 events each year.

The new CEO for AEG International, Alex Hill, will be overseeing the completion of the arena.

Seoul Arena
South Korea
Scheduled opening date: 2027

Seoul Arena’s completion has been put back a couple of years due to rising costs, but it’s set to draw in 2.5m visitors a year, when it opens, as the country tries to meet the demand for K-pop concerts and combat the lack of venues to host them.

IT giant Kakao is partnering with government on the 18,269-seat arena that can scale up to 28,000 for standing events. There will be a separate 2,010-seat performance hall on site, and it’s been reported that the arena will have “cutting-edge acoustics, clear sightlines, tech trappings, and bespoke infrastructure.”

AUSTRALASIA

Entertainment Quarter Arena
Sydney, Australia
Scheduled opening date: TBC

A 15,000–20,000-capacity arena is expected to transform Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park, as Australasian Leisure Management reported last year that an open tender process would be held to attract developers to submit plans for the 11-hectare site.

The New South Wales government said: “The Entertainment Quarter is one of Sydney’s key entertainment and sports precincts and a hub for creative industries, but it is currently underutilised considering its prime location.”

According to NSW premier Chris Minns, “There’s literally hundreds of acts around the world that want to come and tour Australia, and Sydney in particular.”

MIDDLE EAST

Jeddah Arena
Saudi Arabia
Scheduled opening date: TBC

Legends/ASM Global is planning a 20,000-capacity arena as part of the Jeddah Airport City complex, which will include shops, homes, an artisan district and food yard.

The GM of Jeddah’s Onyx Arena, Imad M. Bitar, describes Saudi Arabia’s rapid development as an “attractive and emerging global entertainment destination for international talent and audiences alike.

“With strong government backing, global companies heading and establishing in KSA as per the Vision 2030 [government programme], a young experience-driven population, tech-savvy youth, and a push to position the kingdom as a global cultural, sports, and entertainment destination, the opportunities are immense.”

Diriyah Gate Arena
Saudi Arabia
Scheduled opening date: TBC

The HKS-designed Diriyah Gate Arena is a 20,000-cap multipurpose venue that will span over 76,000 sqm on the outskirts of Riyadh and will reflect the traditional Najdi architecture native to Diriyah.

The venue will seamlessly transition between different configurations, so it can host various events in quick succession with quality acoustics and optimal viewing angles from every seat.

OVG is believed to be involved in the project, which will represent an integral part of the development that features Saudi’s first opera house, a new contemporary art museum, and a full-size version of Paris’s Champs-Élysées Boulevard.

Diriyah Company CEO Jerry Inzerillo says, “The arena in Diriyah is a cornerstone element of our mission to blend tradition with innovation. It exemplifies Diriyah’s unique lifestyle offering that harmonises community, culture, and natural connection, setting a new standard for world-class destinations rooted in Saudi heritage.”

AFRICA

Lagos Arena
Nigeria
Scheduled opening date: TBC

The multipurpose, 12,000-capacity Lagos Arena will operate mainly as a concert hall but host congresses and sports events, too. Located on Victoria Island, the main business and financial centre of Lagos, its terraces will offer views towards the river and ocean.

A consortium that includes Live Nation and OVG is developing the arena to create opportunities for local and regional talent to play to larger audiences in Nigeria and reduce the number of temporary venues built to accommodate big artists. The venue is estimated to cost $100m, will create over 1,500 direct and indirect jobs, and will host 200 events annually.

When the project was announced, OVG’s Tim Leiweke said: “Nigerian artists are some of the most influential in the world right now, and yet they have nowhere to play in their home market. We want to change that.”

View a preview of the Global Arena Guide 2025 below. Subscribe now to read the full publication.

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