History and legacy

Copper Box Arena, fondly known as the ‘Box that Rocks’ during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, is the third largest arena in London and the most versatile venue in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It is fast establishing itself as the capital’s most in-demand entertainment and events venue.

London 2012 Games

Copper Box Arena hosted the Handball, Goalball, Fencing and modern Pentathlon at the London 2012 Games. It was used for handball preliminaries and modern Pentathlon fencing during the Olympic Games, and for Goalball during the Paralympic Games. The Handball men's quarter-finals, all semi-finals and both finals were held at the larger Basketball Arena. Copper Box Arena recognised for its loud, exciting atmosphere during the games. 

Construction of the building was completed on time in early 2011. The design incorporates light pipes and rainwater collection to reduce both energy and water use by 40%.

In January 2012, the venue was renamed Copper Box Arena from the Handball Arena, thus reflecting the look of the building and the fact that it would not just be used for Handball.

If you're to follow in the footsteps of former Olympic heroes then book a drop-in session in our Sports Arena today.
Sports arena

National and international sporting events

Copper Box Arena, has hosted numerous high-profile national and international sporting events since it initially hosted the London 2012 Games.

This impressive legacy venue, which is now home to London Lions basketball and London Pulse netball, is one that’s developed over the years to host other major events including basketball, netball, badminton, boxing and martial arts as well as international competitions such as the Skateboarding World Championships and the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour. 

Whether it's traditional sport, extreme sport or esport, Copper Box Arena has garnered a reputation as one of the most flexible indoor venues in London. As an incredibly adaptable space it is possible to play everything from a single match to a major tournament, one sport or several, all at once. With all the support facilities you can expect, including fully-equipped changing areas, Copper Box Arena can also handle a large number of spectators – up to 7,500 (depending on the event infrastructure). 
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Esports

Copper Box Arena has become known as the home of esports in London attracting international fan bases for tournaments and games over the years, including popular games such as Apex Legends, League of Legends, Gran Turismo, Clash Royale and Call of Duty: Warzone Global Series Finals among many others.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It’s clear that Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is a global leader in esports. The Park is harnessing this growing industry, becoming a hub for skills training and jobs in the sector, and helping to create a better, more prosperous London for all.”

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Entertainment and music

Sports only scratches the surface when it comes to the possibilities at Copper Box Arena. Live music and entertainment events regularly pop up in the diary with popular names like Dizzee Rascal and D Double E taking to the stage. Copper Box Arena has also been used for filming music videos, TV and feature films with big names like KSI using the venue as backdrop for videos which have captured over 20 million hits online to date. If you’re a producer or event manager looking for a stand out venue for an unforgettable show then you can stop searching now. Examples of music and entertainments events include: 

  • Kirk Franklin Gospel Concert 2015 and Warehouse Worship Gospel event 2023
  • Boy In Da Corner – Dizzee Rascal Concert 2016
  • Africa Fest 2016
  • Metro Mayhem 2018
  • United Learning Opera 2019 KSI and Nathan Dawe music video for Lighter in 2020
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Conferences and exhibitions

Copper Box Arena's multi-functional capabilities means it can evolve into a vibrant space for conferences and exhibitions. It’s the perfect location for a business to take over the venue and make it their own as it's based in the heart of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with numerous transport links. Examples of conferences and exhibitions include: 

  • Bauer Media Awards 2015 
  • Fiat 500x Car Launch 2015 
  • TechCrunch Disrupt 2016 
  • Go Travel Show 2016 
  • Women with a vision 2016 
  • Matters phone launch 2018
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