# Royal Arena

The Royal Arena is a multi-use indoor arena in the Ørestad South area of Copenhagen, Denmark. The ground was broken for construction on 26 June 2013 and the arena opened in February 2017. It has a capacity of 13,000 for sporting events and up to 16,000 (either sitting or standing) for concerts.

## Background

In Copenhagen, Parken Stadium, which is primarily a football stadium, is the largest indoor arena in Denmark (when its retractable roof is closed), with a seating capacity of 38,065. For most international sporting events, Brøndby Hall and Ballerup Super Arena were not considered large enough, while Parken Stadium is too large.
While the Malmö Arena in Sweden, across from Copenhagen on the eastern side of the Øresund strait (which forms the Denmark–Sweden border), was suitable for regional and international events requiring an indoor arena with a capacity of 10,000–20,000, it could not be expected to serve Danish domestic events. Copenhagen also wished to host its own international events, such as the Eurovision Song Contest, World Men's Handball Championship, Ice Hockey World Championship, FINA World Aquatics Championships, and major concerts. Thus, the decision was made to build an arena of this size in Copenhagen.

## Construction

The overall Ørestad area was first chosen by the city council for redevelopment in 1993. The arena project, seen as an important addition to the development plan, was presented at a press conference at Bella Sky Hotel on 23 September 2011. The design of the arena was presented on 7 June 2012. The winning design team consisted of 3XN, HKS, Inc., Arup, ME Engineers and Planit. This team provided a distinctly Nordic design for the arena.

### Financing and operation

Realdania and Copenhagen Municipality each made DKK 325,000,000 available for the project, while the Elite Facility Committee provided a construction grant, and operating grants were provided by the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark. The site was made available by CPH City & Port Development. The chosen operator had to arrange the rest of the financing.
Although five companies qualified to bid as arena operators, Live Nation was selected as operator ahead of AEG Facilities in December 2011.
In 2014, Danish brewery Royal Unibrew was announced as the commercial sponsor, earning the naming rights ("Royal") on the arena.

## Notable events

On 26 September 2016, Metallica announced via their blog that they will be "the first event ever held" at the new arena. Their shows are scheduled for the first week of February 2017. The Weeknd performed at the arena as part of his Starboy: Legend of the Fall Tour on 20 February 2017.
The 2017 European Short Course Swimming Championships was the first major sporting event in the arena, with a capacity of circa 12,500. The arena was one of two arenas (the other being Jyske Bank Boxen) to host the 2018 IIHF World Championship. The Royal Arena was one of eight venues in Denmark and Germany to host the 2019 World Men's Handball Championship. It was also used for the 2018 Spring European League of Legends Championship Series third-place decider and finals on 7 April 2018, and 8 April 2018, respectively.
On 28 September 2019, the arena hosted Denmark's first UFC event, UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Cannonier.
It was announced that the Royal Arena would host the 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships from 18 to 24 October 2021, before the Danish Gymnastics Federation withdrew from hosting in July 2020. It will be one of eleven venues in Croatia, Denmark and Norway for the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship.
Since 2017, the arena has regularly hosted Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournaments organized by BLAST Pro Series (now BLAST Premier as of 2020). The Royal Arena will host the first Counter-Strike 2 Major tournament in March 2024 with PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 and Dota 2 premier annual tournament The International in September 2024.

## Concerts

Entertainment events in Royal Arena :
| Date | Artist | Tour | Attendance |
| 2017 ||||
| 3 February | Metallica | WorldWired Tour | 46,500 |
| 7 February | Metallica | WorldWired Tour | 46,500 |
| 9 February | Metallica | WorldWired Tour | 46,500 |
| 17 February | D-A-D & Dizzy Mizz Lizzy | | 16,000 |
| 20 February | The Weeknd | Starboy: Legend of the Fall Tour | 15,500 |
| 23 February | Rod Stewart | HITS 2017 | 9,500 |
| 4 March | Avenged Sevenfold | | 10,000 |
| 3 March | Drake | Boy Meets World Tour | 16,000 |
| 18 March | Marcus & Martinus | Together Tour | 14,000 |
| 23 March | Cirque Du Soleil | Varekai | |
| 24 March | Cirque Du Soleil | Varekai | |
| 25 March | Cirque Du Soleil | Varekai | |
| 26 March | Cirque Du Soleil | Varekai | |
| 29 March | Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds |
| 19 April | We Will Rock You | | |
| 20 April | We Will Rock You | | |
| 21 April | We Will Rock You | | |
| 22 April | We Will Rock You | | |
| 23 April | We Will Rock You | | |
| 27 April | We Will Rock You | | |
| 28 April | We Will Rock You | | |
| 29 April | We Will Rock You | | |
| 30 April | We Will Rock You | | |
| 4 May | We Will Rock You | | |
| 5 May | We Will Rock You | | |
| 6 May | We Will Rock You | | |
| 7 May | We Will Rock You | | |
| 9 May | John Mayer | The Search for Everything World Tour | 16,000 |
| 18 May | Bruno Mars | 24K Magic World Tour | 16,000 |
| 24 May | Nik & Jay | | 14,000 |
| 2 June | André Rieu | | |
| 5 June | Aerosmith | Aero Vederci Baby Tour | 12,000 |
| 15 June | Celine Dion | Celine Dion Live 2017 | 13,269 |
| 2 September | Metallica | WorldWired Tour | 15,500 |
| 9 September | Guldtuben | | |
| 15. September | Riverdance | | |
| 16. September | Riverdance | | |
| 24 September | Sting | 57th & 9th Tour | 8,000 |
| 28 September | John Legend | | 7,000 |
| 29 September | Ricky Gervais | | |
| 5 October | Chris Rock | | |
| 20 October | Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | | |
| 25 October | Cats | | |
| 26 October | Cats | | |
| 27 October | Cats | | |
| 28 October | Cats | | |
| 29 October | Cats | | |
| 4 November | Gorillaz | Humanz Tour | 16,000 |
| 11 November | Carpark North | | 6,000 |
| 20 November | Five Finger Death Punch & In Flames | | 10,000 |
| 22 November | Queen + Adam Lambert | Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2017-2018 | 16,000 |
| 29 November | Scorpions | | 10,000 |
| 29. December | Comedy Aid | | |
| 2018 ||||
| 9 January | Depeche Mode | Global Spirit Tour | 15.461 |
| 31 January | Zulu Awards | | |
| 2 February | Gulddreng | | |
| 8 February | Alex Vargas | | |
| 10 February | Marcus & Martinus | Moments Tour | |
| 11 February | Kygo | | |
| 25 February | The Killers | Wonderful Wonderful World Tour | |
| 1 March | Kendrick Lamar | Damn Tour | 15.187 |
| 9 March | Erasure | | |
| 10 March | Chainsmokers | | |
| 19 March | Harry Styles | Harry Styles: Live on Tour | 10.580 |
| 7 April | League of Legends | EU LCS Spring 3rd Place Decider | Over 18000 |
| 8 April | League of Legends | EU LCS Spring 3rd Place Decider | Over 18000 |
| 20 April | Sam Smith | The Thrill of It All Tour | 13.404 |
| 27 May | Denmark Celebrate The Crown Prince | | |
| 1 June | Game of Thrones | Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience | |
| 3 June | Enrique Iglesias | Enrique Iglesias Live | 15,500 |
| 5 June | Iron Maiden | Legacy of the Beast World Tour | 16,000 |
| 8 June | Katy Perry | Witness: The Tour | 16, 000 |
| 10 June | Judas Priest & Megadeth | | 6,500 |
| 15 June | Fast & Furious | Fast & Furious Live | |
| 16 June | Fast & Furious | Fast & Furious Live | |
| 16 June | Fast & Furious | Fast & Furious Live | |
| 22 June | Runrig | | |
| 23 June | André Rieu | | |
| 27 June | Arctic Monkeys | | |
| 3 July | Paul Simon | Homeward Bound - The Farewell Tour | |
| 4 August | Justin Timberlake | Man of the Woods Tour | 26,234 |
| 5 August | Justin Timberlake | Man of the Woods Tour | 26,234 |
| 10 August | Roger Waters | Us + Them Tour | 23.512 |
| 11 August | Roger Waters | Us + Them Tour | 23.512 |
| 5 September | Kevin Hart | What Now Tour | |
| 15 September | 50 Cent | Get Rich Or Die Tryin' | |
| 16 September | Jeff Lynne's ELO | | |
| 22. September | Guldtuben | | |
| 29 September | U2 | Experience + Innocence Tour | 31,012 |
| 30 September | U2 | Experience + Innocence Tour | 31,012 |
| 6 October | Nephew | | |
| 13 October | Dave Chappelle & Jon Stewart | | |
| 14 October | Shania Twain | Shania Now Tour | |
| 25 October | Anders Matthesen | 25th Anniversary | |
| 26 October | Anders Matthesen | 25th Anniversary | |
| 27 October | Anders Matthesen | 25th Anniversary | |
| 28 October | Bon Iver | | |
| 30 November | Paul McCartney | Freshen Up (tour) | 15.143 |
| 1 December | MØ | Forever Neverland tour | 16,000 |
| 3 December | Slayer | | |
| 4 December | Mariah Carey | All I Want for Christmas Is You, a Night of Joy and Festivity | |
| 2019 ||||
| 29 January | Lukas Graham | Purple Tour | |
| 30 January | Lukas Graham | Purple Tour | |
| 31 January | Lukas Graham | Purple Tour | |
| 11 February | Twenty One Pilots | Bandito Tour | |
| 21 February | Steve Wilson | | |
| 23 February | Passionata | | |
| 1 March | Nicki Minaj & Future | NickiHndrxx Tour | |
| 2 March | Post Malone | | |
| 7 March | Anderson .Paak | Andy's Beach Club World Tour | |
| 12 March | Andrea Bocelli | | |
| 16 March | Shawn Mendes | Shawn Mendes: The Tour | 13.297 |
| 17 March | Dave Matthews Band | | |
| 9 April | Michelle Obama | | |
| 26 April | The Illusionist | | |
| 27 April | The Illusionist | | |
| 28 April | The Illusionist | | |
| 3 May | Michael McIntyre | | |
| 10 May | Walking With Dinosaurs | | |
| 11 May | Walking With Dinosaurs | | |
| 12 May | Walking With Dinosaurs | | |
| 17 May | Mumford & Sons | Delta Tour | |
| 18 May | Elton John | Farewell Yellow Brick Road | 13.186 |
| 21 May | Gods Of Rap | | |
| 31 May | Anne Linnet, Sanne Salomonsen & Lis Sørensen | | |
| 1 June | Anne Linnet, Sanne Salomonsen & Lis Sørensen | | |
| 4 June | Tenacious D | Post-Apocalypto Tour | |
| 6 June | Elton John | Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour | 13.279 |
| 8 June | Backstreet Boys | DNA World Tour | 15.505 |
| 10 June | The Eagles | | |
| 15 June | Mark Knopfler | Down The Road Wherever Tour | |
| 22 June | André Rieu | | |
| 11 July | John Fogerty | | |
| 8 September | Muse | Simulation Theory World Tour | |
| 14 September | Khalid | Free Spirit World Tour | 11.993 |
| 19. September | Mads & Monopolet | | |
| 25 September | Alice Cooper | | |
| 1 October | Ariana Grande | Sweetener World Tour | 15.473 |
| 5 October | Brad Paisley | | |
| 6 October | John Mayer | | |
| 15 October | Cher | Here We Go Again Tour | 13.015 |
| 26 October | Michael Bublé | An Evening with Michael Bublé | |
| 27 October | Michael Bublé | An Evening with Michael Bublé | |
| 9 November | Phlake | | |
| 23 November | The Minds Of 99 | | |
| 29 November | The National | | |
| 1 December | Volbeat | | |
| 5 December | Björk | Cornucopia | |
| 2020 ||||
| 17 January | Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live | | |
| 18 January | Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live | | |
| 24 January | Five Finger Death Punch | | |
| 15 February | Disney On Ice | | |
| 16. February | Disney On Ice | | |
| 20 February | Slipknot | | |
| 21 February | Stormzy | | |
| 22 February | Halsey | Manic World Tour | 3.937 |
| 29 February | MGP Junior (Danish TV series) | | |
| 7 March | Dansk Melodi Grand Prix | | 0 (due to Covid) |
| 2021 ||||
| 11 September | Jesus Christ Superstar | | |
| 23 October | Rick Astley | | |
| 2 December | jung | | |
| 9 December | Ricky Gervais | | |
| 2022 ||||
| 22 March | Louis C.K. | | |
| 7 April | The Minds of 99 | Infinity Action Tour | |
| 8 April | The Minds of 99 | Infinity Action Tour | |
| 16 April | Dizzy Mizz Lizzy | Alter Eco Tour | |
| 23 April | Tool | | |
| 27 April | Hans Zimmer | | |
| 29 April | A-Ha | | |
| 24 May | Trevor Noah | Back To Abnormal Tour | |
| 27 May | Kashmir | Reunion Tour | |
| 28 May | Kashmir | Reunion Tour | |
| 31 May | Jeff Dunham | Seriously!? | |
| 1 June | Gabriel Iglesias | | |
| 9 June | Alanis Morissette | Alanis Morissette World Tour 2022 | |
| 11 June | Adam & Noah | Farewell Show (Farvel & Tjak) | |
| 14 June | Eric Clapton | Summer 2022 European Tour | |
| 15 June | Eric Clapton | Summer 2022 European Tour | |
| 24 June | André Rieu | | |
| 28 June | Five Finger Death Punch | | |
| 5 July | Pearl Jam | Gigaton Tour | |
| 17 July | Queen + Adam Lambert | The Rhapsody Tour | |
| 18 July | Queen + Adam Lambert | The Rhapsody Tour | |
| 20 July | Brad Paisley | World Tour 2022 | |
| 13 August | Toto | | |
| 22 August | Tame Impala | | |
| 7 October | Deep Purple | Whoosh! Tour 2022 | |
| 14 October | The Cure | 2022 European Tour | |
| 15 October | Kendrick Lamar | The Big Steppers Tour | |
| 21 October | Sting | My Songs Tour | |
| 29 October | Gilli | | |
| 3 November | Cirque du Soleil | Corteo | |
| 4 November | Cirque du Soleil | Corteo | |
| 5 November | Cirque du Soleil | Corteo | |
| 6 November | Cirque du Soleil | Corteo | |
| 9 November | Swedish House Mafia | Paradise Again World Tour | |
| 11 November | Jada | | |
| 12 November | Saveus | | |
| 11 December | Simply Red | Blue Eyed Soul World Tour 2022 | |
| 15 December | Blackpink | Born Pink World Tour | 15,525 |
| 2023 ||||
| 16 February | George Ezra | | |
| 18 February | Lizzo | The Special Tour | |
| 27 February | Robbie Williams | XXV Tour | |
| 4 March | ATEEZ | THE FELLOWSHIP: BREAK THE WALL | |
| 28 March | Andrea Bocelli | | |
| 30 March | Dean Lewis | The Future is Bright Tour | |
| 1 April | Tobias Rahim | | |
| 30 April | Sabaton | The Tour To End All Tours | |
| 2 May | Måneskin | Loud Kids Tour | |
| 3 June | Wu Tang Clan Nas | NY State Of Mind Tour | |
| 5 July | Elton John | Farewell Yellow Brick Road | |
| 7 July | Pet Shop Boys | Dreamworld Tour | |
| 30 September | 50 Cent | The Final Lap Tour | Busta Rhymes |
| 25 October | Madonna | The Celebration Tour | |
| 26 October | Madonna | The Celebration Tour | |
| 2024 ||||
| 1 May | Tenacious D | The Spicy Meatball Tour | Crusade |
| 20 May | Jonas Brothers | Five Albums. One Night. The World Tour | |
| 30 May | Olivia Rodrigo | Guts World Tour | |
| 11 June | Nicki Minaj | Pink Friday 2 World Tour | |
| 29 August | Justin Timberlake | The Forget Tomorrow World Tour | |
| 30 August | Justin Timberlake | The Forget Tomorrow World Tour | |
| 3 November | NCT DREAM | The Dream Show 3: Dream( )scape | |
| 2025 ||||
| 31 March | Sabrina Carpenter | Short n' Sweet Tour | Rachel Chinouriri |
| 1 April | Sabrina Carpenter | Short n' Sweet Tour | Rachel Chinouriri |