Multi-purpose arena in Czechia
O2 Arena (stylised asO2 arena ) is a multi-purposearena , inPrague ,Czech Republic .
It is home toHC Sparta Prague of theCzech Extraliga and is thethird-largest ice hockey arena in Europe . It has hosted important sport events such as threeIce Hockey World Championships (2004 ,2015 and2024 ), the first edition of the prestigious tennisLaver Cup , theEuropean Athletics Indoor Championships , theEuroleague Final Four 2006 , the WorldFloorball Championship, the2012 Davis Cup finals , fourFed Cup finals, as well as a handful ofNHL andKHL games, including a2014 Gagarin Cup final .
It also hosts stage shows, such as concerts, and other large-scale events. The highest arena capacity reached was 20,208 people.[ 2]
The idea of building a new arena in Prague came on the heels of the "golden era" of Czechice hockey : winning the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics and three gold medals in a row at theIce Hockey World Championships from 1999 to 2001. 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 issues, but it was opened in March 2004 as Sazka Arena, in time to host the2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships .[ 3] [ 4]
In March 2011, Sazka filed for insolvency due to debts from building the arena and other problems.[ 5] [ 6]
Czech Extraliga match,Sparta Praha vsRytíři Kladno From its opening until 2015, it was home toHC Slavia Prague of theCzech Extraliga . Slavia won the national championship on home ice in Game 7 of the 2008 Extraliga finals againstHC 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 ofHC Lev Prague of theKontinental Hockey League . The club played its home games of the2014 Gagarin Cup Finals at O2 Arena, attracting the three largest crowds in league history.[ 7] Tipsport Arena as the main reason for the move.[ 8]
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.[ 9]
In 2017, it hosted the 1st edition ofLaver Cup international indoor hard court men's tennis tournament between Europe and Team World.
In 2019, a multifunctional congress centre,O2 universum , opened up next to the Arena. In 2019, a multifunctional congress centre,O2 universum , opened up next to the Arena.
In 2021, the venue was scheduled to host some group phase matches at theFIBA EuroBasket 2021 , which the country was to cohost withGeorgia inTbilisi ,Germany inBerlin /Cologne andItaly inMilan . The event was canceled.[ 10]
In 2021, the Stages Hotel with capacity of around 600 people, opened right next to the Arena.[ 11]
On 6 & 7 September 2006Madonna performed there during herConfessions 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 herRebel Heart Tour selling out crowds of over 16,000 patrons. The arena is the home of theTransmission festival since 2007. On 12 June, 2007,Linkin Park performed at the venue as part of theMinutes to Midnight World Tour .[ 12] On 12 May 2008,Kylie Minogue performed there as part of herKylieX2008 . She performed again at the arena on 2 March 2011 as part of herAphrodite World Tour . On 21 October 2014 Minogue performed again as part of herKiss Me Once Tour . On 26 June 2008Céline Dion performed there duringTaking Chances World Tour . In November 2008, the French electronica pioneerJean Michel Jarre performed hisOxygène On 27 April 2009,Tina Turner performed a concert as part of theTina!: 50th Anniversary Tour Sting performed during hisSymphonicities Tour on 22 September 2010, along with theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra .Square in front of the Arena, 2024 Lady Gaga a concert as part of theMonster Ball Tour .On 7 December 2011,Rihanna performed there during herLoud Tour . On 27 July 2016, Rihanna performed there as part ofAnti World Tour . On 26 October 2012,Jennifer Lopez performed a sold-out show during herDance Again World Tour . On October 5 2014,Lady Gaga performed a concert as part of theArtRave: The Artpop Ball . On 17 February 2015,Queen + Adam Lambert performed there as part of theirQueen + Adam Lambert Tour 2014-2015 . The group returned to the arena on November 1, 2017, to kick off their2017 European tour . On 23 February 2015,Katy Perry performed there as part ofPrismatic World Tour . On January 30, 2016,Ellie Goulding performed there as part ofDelirium World Tour . On November 12, 2016,Justin Bieber performed a sold-out show during hisPurpose World Tour . On 12 March 2023, Bieber performed there again as part of hisJustice World Tour . Gorillaz performed at the arena on 14 November 2017, as part of theirHumanz Tour .Imagine Dragons concert in 2018On 2 April 2018,Metallica performed there as part ofWorldWired Tour .[ 13] On 16 April 2018Imagine Dragons performed here as a part of theirEvolve World Tour . On 7 & 8 May 2018,Enrique Iglesias performed there as part ofEnrique Iglesias Live . On 1 July 2018Pearl Jam performed there as part of thePearl Jam 2018 Tour . On 10 October 2018,Shania Twain performed there as part of theShania Now Tour . On 7 May 2019,Elton John performed there as part ofFarewell Yellow Brick Road On 4 September 2019,Ariana Grande performed there as part of theSweetener World Tour . On 16 February 2019,Twenty One Pilots performed there as part ofThe Bandito Tour . The band returned to the venue on 12 April 2025 during the European leg ofThe Clancy World Tour . On 29 April 2022,5 Seconds of Summer performed there as part of theirTake My Hand World Tour . On 11 June 2022,My Chemical Romance performed there as part as theirMy Chemical Romance Reunion Tour . On 15 July 2022,Harry Styles performed there as a part of hisLove on Tour . On 21 December 2022, Symphonic Metal actNightwish performed there as part of theHuman. :II: Nature. World Tour . On 28 October 2023,50 Cent bought hisFinal Lap Tour to the arena.Busta Rhymes was the opening act.[ 14] On 30 & 31 May 2023,Iron Maiden performed two sold out shows as part of theirFuture Past Tour .[ 15] On 19 September 2023,Blink-182 performed there as part of theirWorld Tour 2023/2024 .[ 16] On 16 October 2024, American singerMelanie Martinez performed there as part ofThe Trilogy Tour . On 27 and 28th May 2025, British-Albanian singerDua Lipa performed two concerts of theRadical Optimism Tour On 1 June 2025, American singerBillie Eilish performed a sold out show of herHit Me Hard and Soft Tour with a record attendance of 20 209 people.[ 2] On 11 June 2025, Canadian singerTate McRae performed a show as part of herMiss Possessive Tour . During theEuroBasket 2022 In October 2008, theNew York Rangers andTampa Bay Lightning opened the2008–09 NHL season at O2 Arena with two games.[ 17] Boston Bruins andPhoenix Coyotes playing twice.[ 18] Chicago Blackhawks andPhiladelphia Flyers opening the season at the arena. After a two year hiatus, the arena opened the 2022 season with theSan Jose Sharks andNashville Predators playing twice. The arena opened the2024-25 season with theBuffalo Sabres andNew Jersey Devils playing twice. In December 2008, the arena played host to the playoff matches of the2008 Men's World Floorball Championships , including Finland's 7–6 victory over Sweden in the final.[ 19] TheCzech Republic Davis Cup Team defeatedSpain in the2012 Davis Cup Final .[ 20] TheCzech Fed Cup team contested theFed Cup at the O2 Arena four times between 2012 and 2018. The arena hosted the final of the2012 Fed Cup againstSerbia .[ 21] Germany in the final of the2014 Fed Cup .[ 22] 2015 Fed Cup final againstRussia ,[ 23] 2018 Fed Cup , which the Czech Republic won against theUnited States , resulted in the country's sixth cup win in eight years.[ 24] In February 2019,UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Santos UFC Fight Night 145 orUFC on ESPN+ 3 ) was held at the O2 Arena. The event marked the promotion's first visit to theCzech Republic . Panorama of O2 Arena (March 2007) [ 25]
Number of floors: 6 Height: 33 m Roof diameter: 135 m Floor space: 35,000 m2 Capacity:Concerts: up to 20.209 people (record broke withBillie Eilish concert in 2025)[ 2] Ice hockey: 17 383 Basketball: 16 805[ 26] Tennis: 14 000 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[ 27] Parking: 280 places Population of itscatchment area : 2.2 million people (as of 2025) ^ "Sazka Arena – the most modern multipurpose arena in the world" .Prague.net . Retrieved10 April 2018 .^a b c "Billie Eilish v O2 areně přepsala historii. Překonala rekordní návštěvnost haly a přivezla dokonalý zážitek. - O2 arena" (in Czech). 2025-06-02. Retrieved2025-06-12 .^ Cameron, Rob (29 March 2004)."Sazka sports arena opened amid bitter political dispute over money" .Radio Prague . Retrieved7 June 2011 . ^ "Praha přijde o Sazka Arenu. Stane se z ní O2 Arena" .Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). 2008-02-05. Retrieved2021-12-10 .^ "Czech lottery firm Sazka files for insolvency" .Reuters . 2011-03-26. Retrieved2021-12-10 .^ "FT.com / Mergermarket - Balls up: Czech lottery ruled insolvent" . Archived fromthe original on 2011-04-10. Retrieved2011-04-15 .^ "Mike Keenan guides Metallurg Magnitogorsk to Game 7 Gagarin Cup win and record-setting KHL championship" .The Hockey News . 30 April 2014. Retrieved2021-12-10 .^ "Hokejová Sparta bude hrát v O2 areně, Slavia naopak míří do Edenu" .Czech Television . Retrieved6 September 2024 .^ Schram, Carol (26 May 2024)."David Pastrnak Lifts Czechia To 2024 World Hockey Championship Win" .Forbes . Retrieved6 September 2024 . ^ "FIBA EuroBasket draw to be held behind closed doors due to COVID-19" .Insidethegames.biz . 2021-04-08. Retrieved2021-12-10 .^ Krstanov, Zdravko (2021-11-01)."PPF má nový miliardový hotel u O2 areny. Kellner by byl pyšný, zaznělo na otevření" .Forbes (in Czech). Retrieved2025-06-12 . ^ "Linkin Park Setlist at Sazka Arena, Prague" .setlist.fm . Retrieved2025-12-20 .^ "O2 arena - O2 arena has a record of attendance - concert of band Metallica was seen by 20 174 fans" . Archived fromthe original on 2019-12-14.^ Kaufman, Gil (2023-05-04)."50 Cent Announces 2023 'Final Lap' Global Tour with Busta Rhymes, Jeremih" .Billboard . Retrieved2024-03-23 . ^ "Iron Maiden rocked arena" (in Czech). ireport.cz. 2023-05-31. Retrieved2023-05-31 .^ Šulc, Stanislav (2023-09-20)."Znovu a rychleji. Blink-182 rozdováděli O2 arenu, zpívali i o pražských dívkách" .Deník . Retrieved2025-10-02 . ^ "Rangers Please Crowd and Satisfy Themselves" .The New York Times . Retrieved11 October 2023 .^ "BRUINS BEAT;IDENTITY FOUND;TEAM RETURNS TO STYLE THAT WORKED IN 2009" .Fox Sports . Retrieved11 October 2023 .^ "O2 Arena se chystá na florbal. Speciální povrch bleskově přesunuli z Ostravy" .idnes.cz (in Czech). 11 December 2008. Retrieved11 October 2023 .^ "Davis Cup final: Czech Republic edge out Spain in Prague" .BBC Sport . Retrieved11 October 2023 .^ "Czechs hoping to clinch historic first Fed and Davis Cup double" .Radio Prague . Retrieved11 October 2023 .^ "Czechs Celebrate Commitment to Team Success" .The New York Times . Retrieved11 October 2023 .^ "Sharapova eyes first Fed Cup final against Czechs" .Sports Illustrated . Retrieved11 October 2023 .^ "Czechs Make Quick Work of U.S. in Fed Cup Final" .Sports Illustrated . Retrieved11 October 2023 .^ "O2 Arena – StavbaWeb" (in Czech). 2025-06-11. Retrieved2025-06-12 .^ "Belgrade 2018 - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL" .Euroleague.net . Retrieved10 April 2018 .^ "Pivovod O2 areny dokáže za čtvrt hodiny "opít" pivem malé město" . iDnes.cz.O2 Arena (Prague) at Wikimedia Commons
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