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O2 Arena

O2 Arena in July 2018
Former names	Sazka Arena (2004 – March 2008)
Location	Ocelářská 460/2, 190 00 Prague 9 – Libeň, Czech Republic
Coordinates	50°6′17.14″N 14°29′36.59″E / 50.1047611°N 14.4934972°E / 50.1047611; 14.4934972
Operator	BESTSPORT akciová společnost
Capacity	Concerts: 20,000 Ice hockey:17,383 Basketball:16,805 Tennis:14,000
Construction
Broke ground	September 2002
Built	2004
Opened	27 March 2004
Construction cost	17 billion CZK € 630 Million
Architect	ATIP, a.s. – Vladimír Vokatý, Martin Vokatý, Jiří Vít
Tenants
Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team (2004-present) HC Slavia Praha (Czech Extraliga) (2004–2015) HC Sparta Praha (Czech Extraliga) (2015–present) HC Kladno (Czech Extraliga) (3 games) (2012) HC Lev Praha (KHL) (occasional games) (2012–2014)

O2 Arena (stylised as O₂ arena) is a multi-purpose arena, in Prague, Czech Republic. It is home to HC Sparta Prague of the Czech Extraliga and is the third-largest ice hockey arena in Europe.

It has hosted important sporting events such as three Ice Hockey World Championships (2004, 2015 and 2024), the first edition of the prestigious tennis Laver Cup, the European Athletics Indoor Championships, the Euroleague Final Four 2006, the World Floorball Championship, the 2012 Davis Cup finals, four Fed Cup finals, as well as a handful of NHL and KHL games, including a 2014 Gagarin Cup final. It can also host stage shows, such as concerts, and other large-scale events.

History

The idea of building a new arena in Prague came on the heels of the "golden era" of Czech ice hockey: winning the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics and three gold medals in a row at the Ice Hockey World Championships from 1999 to 2001. The arena was proposed to be built in time to host the 2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships, but due to unforeseen complications with the investors, the ice hockey governing body had to switch that tournament to Finland. The arena's main backer then became Sazka a.s., a Czech betting company.

The construction of the arena (which began in September 2002) was not without problems, but it was opened in March 2004 as Sazka Arena, in time to host the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. In March 2008, the building was renamed O2 Arena.

In March 2011, Sazka filed for insolvency due to debts from building the arena and other problems. Sazka was then re-organized and financially stabilized.

From its opening until 2015, it was home to HC Slavia Prague of the Czech Extraliga. Slavia won the national championship on home ice in Game 7 of the 2008 Extraliga finals against HC Karlovy Vary 4–0 in front of a then-league-record crowd of 17,117. For two seasons, 2012–13 and 2013–14, O2 Arena also hosted occasional home games of HC Lev Prague of the Kontinental Hockey League. The club played its home games of the 2014 Gagarin Cup Finals at O2 Arena, attracting the three largest crowds in league history. In 2015, Slavia was relegated to the 1.liga, and the club chose to move back to the smaller Zimní stadion Eden, the team's former home and current training centre. In its place, O2 Arena reached an agreement with cross-town rivals Sparta Prague on 24 June 2015. Sparta ownership cited the need for significant renovations at Tipsport Arena as the main reason for the move.

In 2015, O2 Arena co-hosted the IIHF World Championship with ČEZ Aréna in Ostrava for the second time. This time, the tournament re-established the record for World Championship attendance, which stood until being surpassed in 2024 with the tournament held in the same two cities.

In 2017, it hosted the 1st edition of Laver Cup international indoor hard court men's tennis tournament between Europe and Team World.

In 2021, the venue was scheduled to host some group phase matches at the FIBA EuroBasket 2021, which the country was to cohost with Georgia in Tbilisi, Germany in Berlin/Cologne and Italy in Milan. The event was canceled.

Notable events

Music

• On 6 & 7 September 2006 Madonna performed there during her Confessions Tour. The concert was attended by 18,628 spectators, the biggest number of spectators in the arena's history. She performed again at the arena on 7 & 8 November 2015 as part of her Rebel Heart Tour selling out crowds of over 16,000 patrons.
• On 12 May 2008, Kylie Minogue performed there as part of her KylieX2008. She performed again at the arena on 2 March 2011 as part of her Aphrodite World Tour. On 21 October 2014 Minogue performed again as part of her Kiss Me Once Tour.
• On 26 June 2008 Céline Dion performed there during Taking Chances World Tour.
• In November 2008, the French electronica pioneer Jean Michel Jarre performed his Oxygène album live at the arena, as part of the second leg of the Oxygène 30th anniversary tour.
• On 27 April 2009, Tina Turner performed a concert as part of the Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour
• Sting performed during his Symphonicities Tour on 22 September 2010, along with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
• In November 2010, Lady Gaga performed there during her Monster Ball Tour.
• On 7 December 2011, Rihanna performed there during her Loud Tour. On 27 July 2016, Rihanna performed there as part of Anti World Tour.
• On 26 October 2012, Jennifer Lopez performed a sold-out show during her Dance Again World Tour.
• On 17 February 2015, Queen + Adam Lambert performed there as part of their Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2014-2015. The group returned to the arena on November 1, 2017, to kick off their 2017 European tour.
• On 23 February 2015, Katy Perry performed there as part of Prismatic World Tour.
• On January 30, 2016, Ellie Goulding performed there as part of Delirium World Tour.
• On November 12, 2016, Justin Bieber performed a sold-out show during his Purpose World Tour. On 12 March 2023, Bieber performed there again as part of his Justice World Tour.
• Gorillaz performed at the arena on 14 November 2017, as part of their Humanz Tour.
• On 2 April 2018, Metallica performed there as part of WorldWired Tour.
• On 16 April 2018 Imagine Dragons performed here as a part of their Evolve World Tour.
• On 7 & 8 May 2018, Enrique Iglesias performed there as part of Enrique Iglesias Live.
• On 1 July 2018 Pearl Jam performed there as part of the Pearl Jam 2018 Tour.
• On 10 October 2018, Shania Twain performed there as part of the Shania Now Tour.
• On 7 May 2019, Elton John performed there as part of Farewell Yellow Brick Road
• On 4 September 2019, Ariana Grande performed there as part of the Sweetener World Tour.
• On 16 February 2020, Twenty One Pilots performed there as part of The Bandito Tour.
• On 29 April 2022, 5 Seconds of Summer performed there as part of their Take My Hand World Tour.
• On 11 June 2022, My Chemical Romance performed there as part as their My Chemical Romance Reunion Tour.
• On 15 July 2022, Harry Styles performed there as a part of his Love on Tour.
• On 21 December 2022, Symphonic Metal act Nightwish performed there as part of the Human. :II: Nature. World Tour.
• On 28 October 2023, 50 Cent bought his Final Lap Tour to the arena. Busta Rhymes was the opening act.
• On 30 & 31 May 2023, Iron Maiden performed two sold out shows as a part of their Future Past Tour.
• On 7 September 2025, British pop singer Robbie Williams will perform at the arena as part of his Live 2025 tour.
• The arena is also the home of the Transmission festival since 2007.

Sport

• In October 2008, the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning opened the 2008–09 NHL season at O2 Arena with two games. In 2010, the NHL returned, with the Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes playing twice. In 2019, the NHL returned again with the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers opening the season at the arena. After a two year hiatus, the arena opened the 2022 season with the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators playing twice. The arena opened the 2024-25 season with the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils playing twice.
• In December 2008, the arena played host to the playoff matches of the 2008 Men's World Floorball Championships, including Finland's 7–6 victory over Sweden in the final.
• The Czech Republic Davis Cup Team defeated Spain in the 2012 Davis Cup Final.
• The Czech Fed Cup team contested the Fed Cup at the O2 Arena four times between 2012 and 2018. The arena hosted the final of the 2012 Fed Cup against Serbia. In November 2014 the Czech Republic defeated Germany in the final of the 2014 Fed Cup. In November 2015, the arena hosted the 2015 Fed Cup final against Russia, while the 2018 Fed Cup, which the Czech Republic won against the United States, resulted in the country's sixth cup win in eight years.
• In February 2019, UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Santos (also known as UFC Fight Night 145 or UFC on ESPN+ 3) was held at the O₂ Arena. The event marked the promotion's first visit to the Czech Republic.

Technical facts

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• Number of floors: 6
• Floor space: 35,000 m
• Capacity: up to 18,000 spectators (depends on event)
• Club and Luxury seats: 2,460
• Sky boxes: 66
• Party Boxes: 4
• Seats in bars, restaurants and cafés: 2,900
• Beers that can be tapped in one break: 30,000
• Parking: 280 places
• Population of its catchment area: 1.5 to 1.8 million people

• Interior of O2 Arena (2007)
• View from Českomoravská street
• Sazka Arena in June 2007, before Ozzy Osbourne's concert
• Final ceremony of EuroBasket Women 2017 in O2 Arena

See also

• List of indoor arenas in the Czech Republic
• List of European ice hockey arenas
• List of tennis stadiums by capacity
• The O2 Arena (London)

References

1. "Sazka Arena – the most modern multipurpose arena in the world". Prague.net. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
2. "Belgrade 2018 - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
3. Cameron, Rob (29 March 2004). "Sazka sports arena opened amid bitter political dispute over money". Radio Prague. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
4. "Praha přijde o Sazka Arenu. Stane se z ní O2 Arena". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). 2008-02-05. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
5. "Czech lottery firm Sazka files for insolvency". Reuters. 2011-03-26. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
6. "FT.com / Mergermarket - Balls up: Czech lottery ruled insolvent". Archived from the original on 2011-04-10. Retrieved 2011-04-15. Balls up: Czech lottery ruled insolvent
7. "Mike Keenan guides Metallurg Magnitogorsk to Game 7 Gagarin Cup win and record-setting KHL championship". The Hockey News. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
8. "Hokejová Sparta bude hrát v O2 areně, Slavia naopak míří do Edenu". Czech Television (in Czech). 24 June 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
9. Schram, Carol (26 May 2024). "David Pastrnak Lifts Czechia To 2024 World Hockey Championship Win". Forbes. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
10. "FIBA EuroBasket draw to be held behind closed doors due to COVID-19". Insidethegames.biz. 2021-04-08. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
11. "O2 arena - O2 arena has a record of attendance - concert of band Metallica was seen by 20 174 fans". Archived from the original on 2019-12-14.
12. Kaufman, Gil (2023-05-04). "50 Cent Announces 2023 'Final Lap' Global Tour with Busta Rhymes, Jeremih". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
13. "Iron Maiden rocked arena" (in Czech). ireport.cz. 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
14. "Rangers Please Crowd and Satisfy Themselves". The New York Times. 5 October 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
15. "BRUINS BEAT;IDENTITY FOUND;TEAM RETURNS TO STYLE THAT WORKED IN 2009". Fox Sports. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
16. "O2 Arena se chystá na florbal. Speciální povrch bleskově přesunuli z Ostravy". idnes.cz (in Czech). 11 December 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
17. "Davis Cup final: Czech Republic edge out Spain in Prague". BBC Sport. 18 November 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
18. "Czechs hoping to clinch historic first Fed and Davis Cup double". Radio Prague. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
19. "Czechs Celebrate Commitment to Team Success". The New York Times. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
20. "Sharapova eyes first Fed Cup final against Czechs". Sports Illustrated. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
21. "Czechs Make Quick Work of U.S. in Fed Cup Final". Sports Illustrated. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
22. "Pivovod O2 areny dokáže za čtvrt hodiny "opít" pivem malé město". iDnes.cz.

External links

Media related to O2 Arena (Prague) at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website of the O₂ arena

• Sports venues completed in 2004
• Indoor arenas in the Czech Republic
• Ice hockey venues in the Czech Republic
• Basketball venues in the Czech Republic
• Sports venues in Prague
• National stadiums
• Music venues in Prague
• Music venues completed in 2004
• 2004 establishments in the Czech Republic
• 21st-century architecture in the Czech Republic