British Esports' State-of-the-Art Gaming Arena Opens in Sunderland

Gaming Staff • July 4, 2025

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The British Esports Federation has announced that its flagship Gaming and Esports Arena in Sunderland, UK, will open in early 2026. The 15,000 sq. ft. arena is equipped with a 200-seat theatre, a 17m-wide LED screen, broadcast and editing studios, retail and hospitality spaces, performance rooms, and an outdoor activation space. The arena will serve as a training and education hub for esports athletes, students, and future talent, providing them with the opportunity to practice under tournament conditions. It will also be a multi-use venue available for private bookings, music events, and national competitions.

The arena is part of the National Esports Performance Campus (NEPC), which opened in 2023 and has hosted various esports teams and talent. The NEPC is a 30,000 sq. ft. multi-site venue comprising esports bootcamp training facilities, gaming houses, education and innovation suites, and the headquarters of the British Esports Federation.

Andy Payne OBE, Chair of British Esports, said that the arena is a national home for esports, providing world-class performance spaces that will help train the next generation of esports talent and help grow the region to be a key leader in esports in the UK. The arena will generate new jobs and drive economic prosperity for the North East, forming a key part of the expansive Riverside Sunderland initiative.

Cllr Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council, said that the Gaming and Esports Arena is a game-changing development that 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 British Esports Federation is the national body for esports in the UK, dedicated to increasing levels of esports awareness, improving esports standards, and inspiring future esports talent. The National Esports Performance Campus is the definitive home of British Esports, providing a haven for amateur esports enthusiasts and aspiring professionals alike.

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