Built for the London 2012 Olympics, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is home to five superb sporting venues. Over ten years, since the unforgettable launch pad of 2012, the park has built up a reputation as a spectator sporting mecca. We look forward to a new decade of action starting with what’s in store for 2023.
Aquatics Centre
Michael Phelps, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history, won 4 of his 28 gold medals in London’s most famous swimming pool whose unmissable design – featuring no less than 628 windows – greets you at the main entrance to the park. And the elite level action continues this year with triathlon and swimming to the fore.
TRIATHLON It’s triathlon but not as you know it as Arena Games Triathlon (AGT) returns to the capital in April. AGT is a global esports World Championship featuring the best triathletes in the world in real-life and virtual reality blended racing, all under one roof. Expect to see the likes of Team GB stars Georgia Taylor-Brown and Alex Yee in the mix on Saturday 8 April.
SWIMMING Taking place from Saturday 27 to Monday 29 May the Aquatics Centre is the place to be for the inaugural AP Race London International. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Adam Peaty, the fastest man ever over the 50m and 100m breaststroke distances, headlines a stellar line-up of world champions and Olympians.
Copper Box Arena
There’s not a bad seat in the house at this multi-sport venue with room for up to 7,500 spectators. Fresh from showcasing 
WHEELCHAIR RUGBY at the Rugby League World Cup 2021 – where England played their three group matches en route to gold medal glory – sporting variety is the name of the game at the venue known as the ‘Box That Rocks’.
NETBALL International action has already featured at the Copper Box this year with England and Jamaica crossing swords as part of a three-match series. Now all eyes are on London Pulse who are flying high in the Netball Super League – featuring the best 10 teams in England, Scotland and Wales – in search of the biggest prize in UK club netball. Don’t miss London Pulse’s home matches at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which also hosts the Netball Superleague Grand Final on Sunday 11 June.
BASKETBALL London Lions are leading the way in the BBL and WBBL, the top UK professional leagues in the men’s and women’s games respectively. And history was made recently when London Lions men’s team sold out the Copper Box for the first time in their history against Paris in the EuroCup. The men’s season continues this spring with domestic and European action to the fore, while London Lions women – whose extraordinary 52-match winning streak in domestic competition came to an end last month – also feature in a number of double-headers at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
BOXING Team GB Olympic silver medalist Joe Joyce is on a mission to become a world heavyweight champion and his journey through the professional ranks continues on Saturday 5 April when he tops the bill against China’s Zhilei Zhang in the latest Queensberry Promotions show at the park.
🖥️ ESPORTS Riot Games has confirmed 13 of the best League of Legends teams from around the world will contest the 2023 League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational. Taking place from Tuesday 2 May to Sunday 21 May the event is expected to draw thousands of attendees, cementing east London’s reputation as a hub for esports events.
POOL The UK Open Pool Championship returns after its successful debut at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2022. Once again a 256-player field including the world’s best players will descend on the Copper Box – to compete across multiple tables – with only one player emerging after six days of play which run from Tuesday 30 May to Sunday 4 June.
London Stadium (aka Olympic Stadium)
The centrepiece of the park and home to the opening + closing ceremonies and athletics in 2012, the London Stadium (as it’s now known) is an iconic venue for live sport.
⚽️ FOOTBALL Some 60,000 fans flock to London Stadium to watch West Ham United play in the Premier League, led by England star Declan Rice. Fancy watching the Hammers courtesy of a premium experience? There are some great value hospitality deals available. Email us at westham@sportonspec.co.uk for match-by-match details!
⚾️ BASEBALL St Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs – two of the greatest names in baseball – are set to face-off in a two-game series at London Stadium this summer. Taking place on Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 June the MLB London Series is part of the MLB World Tour which features regular-season matches in Asia, Mexico Latin America and Europe.
ATHLETICS is back! The waiting is over for track and field fans with the world’s best athletes and para athletes headed to Queen Elizabeth Park for the London Diamond League on Sunday 23 July. The first global event in the park since 2019 a host of medallists from the 2022 World Championships, Commonwealth Games and European Championships are likely to feature, including Team GB stars such as Laura Muir, Eilish McColgan, Jake Wightman, Dina Asher-Smith, Matt Hudson-Smith and Keely Hodginkson.
Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre
To the far north of the park resides Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre. Known for its distinctive blue pitches and world-class facilities the venue hosted the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup to great acclaim.
🏑 HOCKEY returns this summer as Great Britain are joined by some of the world’s best teams – including Germany and the Netherlands – for a series of fixtures in the FIH Pro League. It’s the fourth time the annual global tournament has visited London and in 2023 the action is split into the two mini-tournaments. The matches are Great Briton’s only scheduled home games this year and represent a vital part of preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Lee Valley VeloPark
If it’s atmosphere you are after the velodrome is a must-visit sporting destination. With its distinctive curved roof and superb acoustics the 6,000-seat building known as the ‘The Pringle’ has a well-earned reputation for being the loudest of all the venues on the park.
CYCLING In December 2022 the velodrome hosted Round 4 and the Grand Finale of the UCI Track Champions League. Over two days, 72 elite riders from around the world, split equally between women and men, went head-to-head for the sprint and endurance titles. The 2023 Track Champions League has yet to be confirmed … but 🤞 watch this space for news of a return to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park! ⬇️
There’s a host of sporting events taking place in London throughout the year. Check out our ‘What’s On’ page for full details and subscribe to our free newsletter here for the latest news at your fingertips.