UK Stadium Industry Celebrates Excellence at the Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2026

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UK Stadium Industry Celebrates Excellence at the Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2026

Specialist events and hospitality teams from more than 70 football, rugby cricket and athletics venues across the UK came together to recognise and celebrate their ‘off the pitch’ successes at The Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2026. The 19th annual awards were sponsored by Global Payments and hosted at Hill Dickinson Stadium, the new home of Everton FC.

The sold-out event welcomed over 500 industry professionals representing conference and events, matchday hospitality, chef teams, public catering, operational departments and senior management from stadium venues across the country. Guests were welcomed to a unique drinks reception on the stadium’s West Terrace, enjoying views across Liverpool before taking their seats in The Yard, the venue’s largest event space for the awards ceremony and dinner. Celebrations continued until 3am with an onsite after party in Kendall’s, overlooking the Western Wharf and River Mersey.

Organised annually by Stadium Experience, the awards recognise the outstanding efforts and dedication shown by the catering, conference and events teams working within the UK’s leading sporting venues. This year, 76 clubs were nominated across 15 categories, with 25 different venues taking home at least one of 47 awards presented. Bronze, Silver and Winner accolades were presented across a diverse range of categories celebrating excellence in hospitality, events, catering and operational delivery.

Independent Awards Judging

All award categories are independently judged, ensuring a robust and impartial process. Stadium Experience does not participate in the judging of any award. In summary;

The Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award is judged by Sandown Effective Sales Solutions Ltd.
The Event Agents Choice Award is voted for by event agents.
The Visiting Directors Awards (Rugby & Football) are voted for by stadium directors.
The Chef Team of the Year Award is organised and judged by The British Culinary Federation.
The Matchday Hospitality Awards are judged by judges with 20+ experience and part of chef industry associations such as The British Culinary Federation, Craft Guild of Chefs and more.
The majority of awards categories (6) are decided by a Judging Panel, made up of a team of experts with many years of experience in their fields, who vote for their top 3 entries in each category.

The judging panel for 2026 includes:

Louisa Watson, Past Chair at Beam
Amy Manton, Commercial Manager at The Delegate Wranglers
Andrew Perolls, Chief Executive Officer at Greengage Solutions
Sam McGrath, Director at Heard About Sam
Shonali Devereux CEO at MIA (NEW)
Simon Ramsbottom, Projects Manager at tobook
Shirley Wynne-Jones, Event Director at SWJ Events
Sam Cowdrill, Stadium Account Manager at venuedirectory.com
Kerrin MacPhie, Board Advisor ICC Wales

The Awards Results

One of the evening’s most prestigious awards, Overall Matchday Hospitality Experience 2026, was awarded to West Bromwich Albion FC, who emerged victorious from a highly competitive field of 40 participating venues from across the leagues. The category experienced a significant 29% increase in entries compared with the previous year, highlighting the continued growth and investment in matchday hospitality excellence throughout the sector.

The full list of Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2026 winners is as follows:

Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award – Sponsored by Aviko

This award is based on a mystery shopper corporate/business event sales enquiry call and follow up, made by our judges from Sandown Effective Sales Solutions.

WINNER: LONDON STADIUM

SILVER: HEADINGLEY STADIUM, LEEDS

BRONZE: MILLWALL FOOTBALL CLUB

Non-Matchday Sales & Marketing Team of the Year Award – Sponsored by Special Occasion Linen

This award recognises the very best non-matchday sales and marketing team in UK stadium venues. Winners demonstrate strategies for growth, new ideas for unique and different events, creative use of their spaces, and overcoming challenges.

WINNER: BRENTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: MKM STADIUM, HULL

BRONZE: EDGBASTON STADIUM, BIRMINGHAM

Stadium Event of the Year Award – Sponsored by Rational

This award recognises the very best stadium event held in the last year. Judges specifically looked for a stadium venue which has displayed exceptional venue facilities and outstanding guest experiences.

WINNER: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB (Sam Fender concert)

SILVER: EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB (hosted Rugby League Ashes just 3 months after stadium opening)

BRONZE: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB (hosted the official visit King Charles to celebrate the Club’s positive socio-economic impact on the local area)

Event Agents Choice Award – Sponsored by iVvy Venues

Voted for by event agents who are asked to vote for their top stadium venue where they have had the best event enquiry experience.

WINNER: LONDON STADIUM

SILVER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB

Matchday Sales & Marketing Team of the Year Award – Sponsored by Hobart UK

This award recognises the very best matchday sales and marketing team in UK stadium venues. Winners demonstrate strategies for growth, brave new ideas, and overcoming challenges.

WINNER: RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: BARCLAYS HAMPDEN, STADIUM, GLASGOW

SILVER: EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB

Operations Team of the Year Award – Sponsored by Braehead Foods

This award recognises the often unseen behind-the-scenes teams that make stadium events run so smoothly, going above and beyond the call of duty to provide the very best service to customers.

WINNER: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB

Above & Beyond Recognition Award – Sponsored by Taste Beverages

This award recognises those individuals who are simply outstanding at what they do and continuously shine.

WINNER: CRAIG ROE AT LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: FIGEN GUL AT EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: TRICIA MADDOCKS AT EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB

Chef Team of the Year Award – Sponsored by Chef Works UK & Bragard

A live theatre chef competition held at Xcelerate with Edgbaston – A regional community skills and learning centre in Birmingham. Chef teams had 90 mins to prepare, cook and present a three-course menu suitable for their Club Chairman to entertain the Head of the FA or RFU to dinner. Served anonymously and judged by The British Culinary Federation.

WINNER: EDGBASTON STADIUM

SILVER: LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: WEST BROMWICH ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB

Best Retail Catering Award – Sponsored by Rollover

This award recognises the best retail catering teams at stadia across the UK. Winners demonstrated commercial growth, high quality food offerings or proactive sustainability improvements.

WINNER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: HULL CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB

Visiting Rugby Directors Award – Sponsored by GetPica

Voted for by Directors at rugby clubs who are asked where they had the best away experience this season. They are specifically asked to consider the welcome, service and catering.

WINNER: LEEDS RHINOS RUGBY CLUB

SILVER: WAKEFIELD TRINITY RUGBY CLUB

BRONZE: BRISTOL BEARS RUGBY CLUB

BRONZE: WIGAN WARRIORS RUGBY CLUB

Visiting Football Directors Award – Sponsored by Dr Oetker

Voted for by Directors at football clubs who are asked where they had the best away experience this season. They are specifically asked to consider the welcome, service and catering.

WINNER: MIDDLESBROUGH FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: WATFORD FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: HUDDERSFIELD TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: STOKE CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

Matchday Hospitality Awards – Sponsored by Lockhart Catering Equipment, Mint People and ACME

Judged by experienced chef and hospitality experts who are part of chef industry associations such as The British Culinary Federation, Craft Guild of Chefs and more. Judges visit each venue to experience their full matchday offering. The clubs they visit rotates regularly, and their scores and reports are validated to ensure consistency across the board. Each element is carefully considered and scored against strict criteria.

This award is split into 3 categories (small, medium and large) based on the number of hospitality seats on a matchday to compare similar sized matchday operations:

Matchday Hospitality Award – Small Stadium (up to 1000 hospitality seats)

WINNER: WIGAN ATHLETIC FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: WATFORD FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: ROTHERHAM UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

Matchday Hospitality Award – Medium Stadium (1001 – 2000 hospitality seats)

WINNER: WEST BROMWICH ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: BRENTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: BARCLAYS HAMPDEN STADIUM, GLASGOW

Matchday Hospitality Award – Large Stadium (2001+ hospitality seats)

WINNER: FULHAM FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: LEEDS UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

Overall Matchday Hospitality Award – Presented by Global Payments Inc.

This award pitches all sized clubs against all (regardless of size) to announce the overall winning UK stadium that provides the very best matchday hospitality experience.

WINNER: WEST BROMWICH ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB

SILVER: BRENTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB

BRONZE: FULHAM FOOTBALL CLUB

Stadium Experience Chair, Collette Salmon, commented: “Every year, these awards remind us of the extraordinary talent that exists throughout the stadium events and hospitality industry. It is a privilege to bring so many professionals together to celebrate success, share best practice and recognise the hard work that often takes place behind the scenes. We are immensely proud of all this year’s finalists and winners, and grateful to the team at Hill Dickinson Stadium and Everton FC for their hospitality and for helping deliver a truly memorable event for our industry.”

Steve McArdle from Global Payments, added: “Thanks again to the Stadium Experience team for another amazing year of recognising great performance. Global Payments are extremely proud to be headline sponsors.

This group of individuals continues to innovate and exceed expectations. The increase in focus on the ‘match day experience’ has driven up performance and revenues. Technology is not too far behind in driving that performance, starting way before the client arrives at the venue.”