Sport
Step Inside: Copper Box Arena – Home of the London Lions
Everything you need to know about one of London's most iconic sports and entertainment venues
Copper Box Arena History | Arena Parking & Admission | Seating & Capacity | Food & Concessions | Public Gym Facilities
Home of the London Lions
Copper Box Arena is a multi-sport indoor venue and home of the London Lions basketball team. Located in Hackney Wick, London, the arena is part of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a sporting complex and public park that contains the London Stadium (now home to West Ham United FC), Olympic Village and London Olympic Media Centre. Visitors should also check out ArcelorMittal Orbit, a public art installation and observation tower that offers breathtaking views of the all the venues in the park – including the Copper Box Arena.
Copper Box Arena History
One of three indoor venues constructed for the 2012 London Olympics, Copper Box Arena opened in May 2011. Originally named Handball Arena, the venue was rebranded after organisers decided that it would also host the modern pentathlon and fencing, with the new name chosen to reflect the recycled copper cladding that covers its exterior. The move sparked fierce protest from the British Handball Association, which launched a spirited but ultimately unsuccessful campaign for the original name to be restored.
The arena was designed by British firm MAKE, with veteran architect Ken Shuttleworth heading up the project. The team were mindful of the fact that the venue would need to be repurposed after the Olympics, which led to the decision to make the seating retractable, allowing the arena to be quickly adapted for different events and spectator numbers. The interior was also specifically designed to amplify crowd noise, earning the arena the nickname “the box that rocks.”
After the Olympics came to an end, the London Lions relocated to the venue for their 2013-14 season, leaving their previous home in Milton Keynes. The move necessitated a name change for the team, something that Lions’ fans are used to, with their team having previously played as the Hemel Hempstead Lakers, Stratford Royals and Milton Keynes Lions.
Since finding their forever home at Copper Box Arena, the Lions have been steadily climbing the ranks both at home and abroad. The team clinched the BBL Cup in 2019, besting the Glasgow Rocks in a fiercely fought final, and in 2024 they became the first British team to reach the semi-finals of Europe’s second-tier basketball division.
When it’s not serving as the London Lions’ home court, the Copper Box Arena’s main space also plays host to a range of other sports, including wheelchair basketball, handball, volleyball, netball, fencing, badminton, gymnastics and many more. In 2021, it hosted the Gfinity European Gaming Championship, and the following year it hosted the inaugural London Basketball Classic.
The arena is also occasionally used for concerts, with previous performers including Charli XCX, Dizzee Rascal and D Double E.
Parking and Admission at Copper Box Arena
Copper Box Arena has a small car park located behind the building, with 40 standard bays and 10 bays for Blue Badge Holders. This carpark is exclusively for users of the venue, and it is usually closed on major event days.
Visitors who wish to drive to the venue to attend an event should alternatively use the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park multi-storey car park, which is open 24 hours a day and located within walking distance of Copper Box Arena. The car park has space for 1,100 cars and makes use of ANPR cameras, meaning visitors don’t have to worry about displaying a ticket and will be charged the correct amount when they leave (note: payment can only be made by card).
Public transport offers the cheapest, easiest way to get to Copper Box Arena. There are 10 train and tube links to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, including the 24-hour night tube on the Central and Jubilee lines on Fridays and Saturdays, so there’s no risk of getting stranded after a late evening event. There are also numerous bus routes, including the 388, which runs from London Bridge and Stratford City and stops directly outside Copper Box. For a full list of public transport options, visit the Getting Here page on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park website.
For those visiting from abroad, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is just a seven-minute train journey from St Pancras International Station.
Capacity and Seating Options
Copper Box Arena has a total capacity of 7,500 across an upper and lower tier, a number that remains constant even when the seating is reconfigured to accommodate different events.
The venue’s main arena can also be divided into three halls using curtains, which means that multiple events can be held at the same time.
Food and Beverage Options
Although there aren’t any fixed restaurants inside Copper Box Arena, concession stands are sometimes set up for individual events. There are also number of restaurants and bars within Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, including Riverside East, Kitchen E20, and Bread Street Kitchen, Bar and Rooftop Stratford by Gordon Ramsay.
Bringing your own food and drink into Copper Box Arena is strictly prohibited and concession stands aren’t always available, so we’d recommend grabbing a bite to eat before you head to your event.
Gym and Fitness Facilities
In addition to hosting one-off fitness classes for locals in the community, the venue is also home to a state of the art gym and a number of fitness facilities that can be used by the public. Memberships include both pay as you go and fixed monthly options, and discounts are on offer for students and seniors.
Under 18s can sign up for the Better Health Junior, a discounted membership which gives them access to the gym and a range of classes and activities designed to encourage healthy habits from a young age.
Venue Quick Facts
| Venue Name | Copper Box Arena |
| Location | Hackney Wick, London |
| Address | Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 3HB |
| Phone # | 020 8221 4900 |
| Capacity | 7,500 |
| Opened | May 2011 |
| Architect | Ken Shuttleworth |
| Website | https://copperboxarena.org.uk |
