The Coventry Building Society Arena is the home of Coventry City, a modern ground of around 32,750 in the north of the city and the largest stadium in the region. Demand for Coventry Building Society Arena tickets has soared, as Coventry City return to the Premier League for the 2026-27 season under Frank Lampard, back in the top flight for the first time in twenty-five years, so the ground stages Premier League football for the very first time in its history and welcomes the biggest clubs in the country. Opened in 2005 and long known as the Ricoh Arena, the stadium is now owned by the club, which bought the ground in 2025, and it is a comfortable modern bowl that forms part of a wider complex with an exhibition centre, a hotel and a casino. 1BoxOffice is a verified secondary marketplace established in 2006, with seat-level detail at checkout and a 150% money-back guarantee if a ticket fails to grant entry on matchday.
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This guide is written for the supporter making the trip, not the browser. It covers the journey to the ground by train and by car, how the four stands are arranged and where the atmosphere is loudest, the bag rules and the digital ticketing, the pubs around the ground and the food inside it, the accessibility of the stadium and the story of the club's long road back to the top flight. By the end you should know how a matchday at the Coventry Building Society Arena runs and which seat suits the day you want.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Coventry Building Society Arena |
| Location | Rowley's Green, northern Coventry |
| Capacity | Around 32,750 |
| Opened | 2005, as the Ricoh Arena |
| Home Club | Coventry City |
| Stands | North, South, East and West |
| Away Section | The South Stand corner, around 3,000 |
| Nearest Station | Coventry Arena, beside the ground |
| Previous Ground | Highfield Road, the club's home until 2005 |
| Also Part Of | An exhibition centre, a hotel and a casino |
The Coventry Building Society Arena sits in the north of Coventry, in the Rowley's Green area near junction 3 of the M6, a little way out from the city centre and easy to reach by train, by car or by bus. The ground has its own railway station right beside it, and large car parks given its out-of-town setting, so it is one of the more straightforward grounds to reach for those driving. Plan your route to Coventry Arena station or the car parks and allow extra time before a big Premier League game, as the trains and the roads around the ground get busy in the build-up.
Coventry Arena station sits right beside the ground, at the south-east corner, served by West Midlands Railway on the line between Coventry and Nuneaton, so on matchday it is the handiest way in for those coming by rail. Coventry's main station, in the city centre, is on the main line from London Euston, under an hour from the capital, and is linked to the ground by bus and by the local rail service, so many supporters travelling from further afield come into the main station and finish the trip out to the arena. Check the current services to Coventry Arena, as the trains to the smaller station are stepped up around an event but are limited at other times.
Birmingham Airport is the nearest major airport, around twenty minutes away by train or car, connected to Coventry's main station by a short rail journey, from where the ground is reached by bus or the local train. East Midlands Airport is a similar distance to the north-east, and the London airports are further afield, reached by the fast train from Euston to Coventry in under an hour. For international visitors, Birmingham is the simplest gateway, with the short trip into Coventry and out to the arena on the northern edge of the city.
Buses run from Coventry city centre and the main station out to the arena in the north of the city, so the bus is a useful option for supporters coming into the main station or staying in the centre, with services stepped up around a matchday. The stops near the ground are a short walk from the turnstiles. Given the out-of-town setting, the bus and the local train are the main public transport options alongside driving, so check the current routes and times before you travel to the ground.
The arena is easy to reach by car, close to junction 3 of the M6 and the motorway network of the Midlands, and it has large dedicated car parks, lettered A, B and C, for a fee on matchday, a legacy of its out-of-town, exhibition-centre setting. This makes driving a more realistic option than at many grounds, though the car parks and the roads around the ground get busy before and after a big game, so arriving early is sensible. There is also some street parking and alternative paid parking nearby. For supporters coming from across the Midlands, the M6 gives easy access to the ground.
The ground sits in the north of Coventry, a few miles from the city centre, so it is too far to walk comfortably from the middle of the city, and the train, bus or car is the sensible way out. From Coventry Arena station beside the ground it is a short walk to the turnstiles, and from the car parks the walk to the stands is short given the compact complex. For supporters arriving at the adjacent station, the final approach on foot is as easy as it gets.
Parking at the Coventry Building Society Arena is more available than at many grounds, thanks to its out-of-town setting and the large car parks built for the exhibition centre, with the lettered car parks A, B and C at the ground for a fee on matchday, along with some street and alternative paid parking nearby. The car parks and the roads around the ground get busy before and after a big Premier League game, so arriving early and being patient on the way out is sensible. The setting near junction 3 of the M6 makes the ground one of the easier stadiums to reach by car, though the adjacent railway station and the buses are good alternatives that avoid the post-match traffic.
The Coventry Building Society Arena is a modern, enclosed bowl that keeps the crowd close to the pitch, opened in 2005 and comfortable throughout, with four stands around the pitch. The stands are the West Stand, the two-tier main stand along one side, the East Stand opposite, and the North and South stands behind the goals, with the away support housed in a corner of the South Stand. The South Stand is built without supporting pillars, so no seat there has a restricted view, a feature of the modern design. The choice of stand comes down to atmosphere, view and price, and with the club back in the Premier League after twenty-five years, demand for every area is high.
The West Stand along one side is the main stand of the ground, the only two-tier stand, holding the premium and hospitality seating, the directors and the media, with a central, sheltered view across the pitch and the best facilities at the arena. It is the most comfortable place to watch from, the pick for a clear side-on view of the game, and it holds the corporate and hospitality crowd along with supporters who want the best seats. For a first visit or a clear tactical view of a Coventry match, a central seat in the West Stand is the safe choice.
The North Stand behind one goal is a home end that holds vocal Coventry support and much of the atmosphere on a matchday, close to the pitch in the enclosed bowl. It is a strong choice for supporters who want the songs and the noise behind the goal, with the atmosphere building through the game, especially now the club is back among the big fixtures of the Premier League. The end-on angle makes judging play at the far end harder than from the side, but for the home matchday feel the North Stand is a fine pick.
The East Stand along the far side, opposite the main West Stand, holds a large block of home support with a good side-on view of the game, often at a friendlier price than the main stand. It is a strong choice for supporters who want a clear view and the backing of the home crowd without the premium of the West Stand. The side-on angle makes reading the shape of the game easier than from behind the goal, so the East Stand suits those who want to follow the tactics at a fair price.
The South Stand behind the other goal houses the away support, in a corner of the stand for a league game with an allocation of around 3,000, expandable to the whole stand for a cup tie with a bigger following. The South Stand is built without supporting pillars, so every seat there has an unrestricted view, a benefit for home and away supporters alike. Away fans reach the stand by their own entrance and route, and should buy the correct section for their team and follow the guidance issued for the match. The table below matches a section to what you want from the day.
| Priority | Recommended Sections |
|---|---|
| Atmosphere | The North Stand behind the goal |
| Best view and comfort | The central rows of the West Stand |
| Tactical overview | The East Stand along the far side |
| Premium and hospitality | The West Stand main stand |
| Budget-friendly | Behind the goals and the upper rows |
| Away fans | The corner of the South Stand |
| Accessibility | Wheelchair positions (request in advance) |
Coventry sits in the middle of England, with a typical English climate, mild and changeable, so a match at the arena through the autumn and winter of the season can be cold, wet or windy, while a spring or late-summer fixture is milder. The stands are covered, but the roofs do not overhang the front rows, so the seats closest to the pitch can catch wind and rain on a bad day. For a winter fixture bring a warm layer and a waterproof, while a spring or early-season match is more comfortable. Umbrellas are awkward in a packed stand, so a hood or a waterproof is the better choice for a wet day in the Midlands.
The Coventry Building Society Arena runs a bag policy with searches on entry, in keeping with Premier League grounds, so the sensible approach is to travel light, as large bags and rucksacks are refused and only small bags are admitted subject to search. There is no left-luggage service at the ground, so do not travel to the stadium with a large bag expecting to store it. Standard prohibited items apply, including bottles, cans, outside alcohol, pyrotechnics and flares, and the checks are stricter for a big match now the club is in the top flight. Check the club's matchday guidance for the current bag rules and dimensions before you travel, and arrive early to clear the search.
The Coventry Building Society Arena sits in an out-of-town setting in the north of the city, so the pubs near the ground are a mix of local houses and the bars of the complex, while the fuller choice is in Coventry city centre a short trip away. The area fills with supporters before a big game.
The pubs around the ground and in the surrounding area fill with home supporters before a match, and the arena complex itself has bars along with the hotel and the casino, so there are places to eat and drink close to the stadium. Coventry city centre, a short trip away, has the fuller choice of pubs and bars for those who want more before the match. With the club back in the Premier League, the matchday build-up around the ground is livelier than it has been in years.
Away supporters often use the pubs near the ground and the bars of the complex, among them the Longford Engine, the Bull and Anchor and the Old Crown in the surrounding area, all commonly used by visiting fans on matchday. The complex bars are convenient for those arriving at the adjacent station or the car parks. As with any away trip, check the arrangements for the specific fixture, as some pubs operate home-only admission for the biggest matches, and many away fans also drink in Coventry city centre before travelling out.
Inside the ground the kiosks serve the traditional matchday fare of pies, snacks and drinks, with the concourses busy at half time for a big game. The wider complex around the stadium, with its hotel, casino and exhibition halls, adds bars and places to eat beyond the concourses, unusual for a football ground. For a fuller meal, the complex or Coventry city centre a short trip away are the better bet, with the kiosks inside serving a quick bite through the game.
Gates at the Coventry Building Society Arena open ahead of kick-off to let the crowd filter in, so arriving early lets you clear the bag search and the turnstiles without joining the last rush, and the entrances get busy in the final half hour before a big Premier League game. Tickets for Coventry City matches are typically issued as digital or mobile tickets, loaded to the club app or a mobile wallet and scanned at the turnstile from your phone, so load the ticket before you travel and keep your phone charged. A screenshot of a ticket may not scan, so use the live mobile ticket where the club issues one. Know your stand and turnstile, as the correct entrance saves a walk around the ground.
Leaving the Coventry Building Society Arena is helped by the adjacent station and the large car parks, though a big Premier League crowd means a little patience pays off.
Coventry Arena station beside the ground carries supporters back towards Coventry and Nuneaton after the match, with additional services around an event, while buses run back to the city centre and the main station for onward trains, including the fast line to London Euston. The station and the buses are busy straight after the final whistle, so expect a short wait, and check the times of the last trains if you are travelling far. For those heading back into the centre, the bus and the local train are the simplest options.
For those who have driven, the large car parks empty onto the roads around the ground and towards the M6, which get busy immediately after the final whistle, so patience helps, and leaving a little after the crowd can save time. Walking is an option only for supporters staying nearby, as the city centre is a few miles away. Given the adjacent station and the motorway access, most supporters find the train or the car the smoothest way home, depending on how far they are travelling.
The simplest way to avoid the worst of the post-match crush is to let the first wave of the crowd go, perhaps with a drink in one of the bars of the complex, before heading to the station or the car. A short wait turns a busy platform or a queue of traffic into an easier trip home. With the bars, the hotel and the casino of the complex on hand, staying a while after a big game is easy to manage at the arena.
The Coventry Building Society Arena opened in 2005 as the Ricoh Arena, giving Coventry City a modern home to replace Highfield Road, the club's ground for more than a century until the move. The stadium was built in the north of the city as part of a wider complex with an exhibition centre, a hotel and a casino, and it took its current name when the Coventry Building Society acquired the naming rights. For most of its history the ground has staged Championship and lower-division football, along with rugby, when the Wasps club was based at the arena from 2014 until it fell into administration in 2022, and other events including matches at the 2012 Olympics and the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The years at the arena were not always happy ones for Coventry City, who fell into disputes with the ground's owners and were forced into exile away from the city, playing home matches at Northampton and later at Birmingham's St Andrew's before returning. The club's fortunes turned under new ownership and, in a landmark moment, Coventry City completed the purchase of the arena in 2025, owning their ground for the first time. On the pitch the revival under Frank Lampard carried the club back to the Premier League for the 2026-27 season, the top flight for the first time in twenty-five years and the first top-flight football the arena has ever staged.
Coventry City are a club with a proud history, most famously the winners of the FA Cup in 1987, one of the great cup final days, and they spent decades in the top division before their long decline and the years in the lower leagues. The recent run to the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 2024, when they came agonisingly close to reaching the final, showed the club on the rise again, and their cup runs can be followed through the FA Cup tickets listings. The return to the Premier League is the crowning moment of that revival.
The stadium's history, verified against contemporary records, runs from its lower-division years to the return to the top flight. The ground staged rugby during the years the Wasps club was based there, along with matches at the 2012 Olympics and the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Coventry City's run to the FA Cup semi-final in 2024 brought some of the biggest nights the arena has seen, and the promotion-winning 2025-26 season carried the club back to the Premier League. The 2026-27 season brings the first top-flight football the ground has ever staged, and with it the visits of the biggest clubs in the country, the most memorable matches yet to come.
The future of the Coventry Building Society Arena looks brighter than at any point in its history, with Coventry City now owning the ground for the first time after the purchase in 2025 and back in the Premier League for 2026-27. Ownership gives the club control of its home and the stability that was missing during the years of disputes and exile, and it opens the way to invest in the stadium and the wider complex over time. There has been talk of developing the ground and its surroundings, though supporters should treat any specific plan as subject to confirmation until the club announces firm details. For now the arena stages top-flight football for the first time, a modern, comfortable ground entering a new era, with the visits of the biggest clubs in the country ahead.
The Coventry Building Society Arena is a modern ground and offers accessible provision, with wheelchair-user positions and step-free access to the relevant areas, along with accessible parking in the large car parks, though supporters requiring accessible seating should contact the club well before the match to confirm the available spaces, the companion ticket policy and the best entrance and route. The adjacent railway station and the large car parks make reaching the ground manageable, and a taxi offers a door-to-door option to the arena for supporters with access requirements. Because provision can vary by match, especially with the club newly in the Premier League and demand high, confirm the specific arrangements with the club in advance of your visit.
The fixtures that move Coventry Building Society Arena tickets fastest are the visits of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, back at the ground for the first time. With Coventry City newly promoted, the visits of the giants are the hottest tickets of the season, from Chelsea and Newcastle United to Aston Villa, the nearest of the big Midlands clubs. The full home programme of the club sits on the Coventry City tickets page and across the wider Premier League tickets listings. With the club back in the top flight after twenty-five years and the ground staging Premier League football for the first time, demand is sharper than at any point in the arena's history, so the biggest fixtures sell out fast. Secondary-market prices move with demand, so treat any figure as indicative rather than fixed and buy early for the biggest fixtures.
1BoxOffice is a verified secondary marketplace that has operated since 2006, showing seat-level detail before you pay and backing every order with a 150% money-back guarantee if a ticket fails to grant entry on matchday. The eight steps below cover the process from finding a fixture to tracking your order.
Step1
Find the fixture
Go to the Coventry Building Society Arena listing on 1BoxOffice and select the match you want. Each fixture shows the available areas and current pricing before you commit to a seat.
Step2
Check the seat detail
Use the area and price filters to compare sections. Seat location is shown against the venue layout, so you can weigh a place behind the goal in the North Stand against a clearer side-on view in the West Stand before deciding.
Step3
Confirm the supporter section
Make sure the block matches who you are travelling with. Home and away areas are listed separately, with the away support in a corner of the South Stand, so check you are in the right section for your team.
Step4
Review before checkout
Check the delivery method and the kick-off time against your travel plans. Premier League kick-off times and dates can shift for television, so verify the details before you book trains or a hotel.
Step5
Create your account
First-time buyers should create an account to complete checkout and receive the ticket. Returning customers simply log in. An account keeps your order and delivery details in one place.
Step6
Complete payment
All major credit and debit cards are accepted. The 150% money-back guarantee applies automatically to every order if the ticket fails to grant entry on matchday.
Step7
Receive your ticket
Tickets are typically issued as digital or mobile tickets. Follow the delivery instructions supplied with your order and load the ticket ready to scan at the turnstile, and remember that a screenshot may not scan.
Step8
Track your order
Follow delivery status and manage your booking through track order. Tickets arrive ahead of the match so you can travel with everything ready.
The Coventry Building Society Arena offers international visitors the chance to watch newly promoted Coventry City in the Premier League, in the heart of England and within easy reach of Birmingham and the Midlands. Fly into Birmingham Airport, around twenty minutes away, and take the short train into Coventry, then the local train or a bus out to the ground, or come by the fast train from London Euston in under an hour. Base yourself in Coventry or in Birmingham with the short train out to the match, and remember that the English climate is changeable, so pack a warm and waterproof layer for a match in the Midlands. A trip to the arena pairs the football with the history of Coventry and the wider region.
With Coventry and the Midlands within easy reach, many supporters build a longer trip around the match. If you are lining up other fixtures, the football teams directory, the wider football tickets hub, the football tournaments calendar and the venues tickets listings show what else is on. Around Coventry itself, the historic cathedral and the ruins of the old one, the transport museum and the medieval streets of the centre are the highlights, while Birmingham and the wider Midlands are a short train ride away, so a game at the arena pairs easily with a few days in the region.
The Coventry Building Society Arena holds around 32,750, the largest stadium in the region, a modern enclosed bowl in the north of Coventry. It is made up of four stands, the two-tier West Stand along one side, the East Stand opposite and the North and South stands behind the goals. Opened in 2005 as the Ricoh Arena, it is the home of Coventry City and is now owned by the club.
The ground is in the north of Coventry near junction 3 of the M6, with its own railway station, Coventry Arena, right beside it on the line between Coventry and Nuneaton. Coventry's main station, on the London Euston line, is linked to the ground by bus and local train. The arena has large car parks given its out-of-town setting, so driving is a realistic option, with the motorway close by.
Coventry Arena station sits right beside the ground at the south-east corner, served by West Midlands Railway on the Coventry to Nuneaton line, with services stepped up around an event. Coventry's main station in the city centre, on the main line from London Euston under an hour away, is linked to the ground by bus and local train, and is the station most supporters travelling from further afield use.
Yes, more than at many grounds, thanks to the out-of-town setting and the large car parks built for the exhibition centre, with the lettered car parks A, B and C at the ground for a fee on matchday, plus some street and alternative paid parking nearby. The car parks and the roads get busy before and after a big game, so arrive early. The motorway access at junction 3 of the M6 makes the car a realistic option.
Coventry City return to the Premier League for the 2026-27 season, promoted under Frank Lampard and back in the top flight for the first time in twenty-five years. It means the arena stages Premier League football for the very first time in its history, welcoming the biggest clubs in the country, so demand for tickets is sharper than at any point since the ground opened in 2005.
Travel light, as large bags and rucksacks are refused and only small bags are admitted subject to search on entry, with no left-luggage service at the ground. Bottles, cans, outside alcohol, pyrotechnics and flares are prohibited, and the checks are stricter for a big Premier League match. Check the club's matchday guidance for the current bag rules and dimensions before you travel, and arrive early to clear the search.
The North Stand behind one goal is the home end and often the loudest part of the ground, holding vocal Coventry support, so it is the pick for atmosphere. The two-tier West Stand is the comfortable main stand with the best side-on view, while the East Stand offers a good view at a friendlier price. The South Stand, which houses the away fans in one corner, is built without pillars, so every seat there has an unrestricted view.
Away supporters are housed in a corner of the South Stand, with an allocation of around 3,000 for a league game, expandable to the whole stand for a cup tie with a bigger following. The South Stand is built without supporting pillars, so every seat has an unrestricted view. Away fans reach the stand by their own entrance and should buy the correct section for their team and follow the guidance issued for the match.
Yes. As a modern ground the stadium has wheelchair-user positions and step-free access to the relevant areas, along with accessible parking in the large car parks. Contact the club well before the match to confirm the available spaces, the companion ticket policy and the best entrance and route. The adjacent railway station and the car parks make access manageable, and a taxi offers a door-to-door option for supporters who need it.
Gates open ahead of kick-off to let the crowd in, and the entrances get busy in the final half hour before a big Premier League game, so aim to arrive in good time to clear the bag search and the turnstiles. Know your stand and turnstile, as the correct entrance saves a walk around the ground. The precise opening time is confirmed with your ticket and the match guidance, so check it for your specific fixture.
Inside the ground the kiosks serve the traditional matchday fare of pies, snacks and drinks. The wider complex around the stadium, with its hotel, casino and exhibition halls, adds bars and places to eat, unusual for a football ground, and Coventry city centre a short trip away has the fuller choice. For a proper meal, the complex or the centre is the better bet before or after the match.
No. The arena opened in 2005, four years after Coventry City were relegated from the Premier League in 2001, when the club still played at the old Highfield Road. So the 2026-27 season is the first time the ground has ever staged top-flight football, a landmark for the stadium as the club returns to the Premier League after twenty-five years away.
Yes, for the first time. After years of disputes with the ground's owners that forced the club into exile at Northampton and Birmingham, Coventry City completed the purchase of the arena in 2025, owning their home for the first time. The purchase gave the club the stability it had lacked, and it came alongside the revival that carried Coventry back to the Premier League.
Prices depend on the fixture, with the visits of the biggest clubs the most in demand now the club is in the Premier League, while the less glamorous fixtures are more affordable. With the ground staging top-flight football for the first time and demand high, the biggest matches sell out fast. Secondary-market prices move with demand, so treat any figure as indicative rather than a promise, and buy early for the biggest fixtures.
There is a hotel at the arena complex itself, handy for the ground, along with hotels in Coventry city centre a short trip away, while many visitors stay in Birmingham with the short train out to the match. Staying at the complex or in Coventry keeps you closest to the ground, while Birmingham offers a bigger city and a wider choice. The train and the motorway make either option straightforward.
Tickets for Coventry City matches are typically issued as digital or mobile tickets, loaded to the club app or a mobile wallet and scanned at the turnstile from your phone, so load the ticket before you travel and keep your phone charged. A screenshot of a ticket may not scan, so use the live mobile ticket where the club issues one. Follow the delivery instructions supplied with your order, and check your stand and turnstile.
Coventry City are a club with a proud history, most famously the winners of the FA Cup in 1987, one of the great cup final days, and they spent decades in the top division before a long decline into the lower leagues. The revival under Frank Lampard, including a run to the FA Cup semi-final in 2024, carried the club back to the Premier League for 2026-27, the crowning moment of their recovery.
The arena complex itself has a hotel, a casino and exhibition halls, while the ground sits in the north of the city a short trip from the centre. In Coventry, the historic cathedral and the ruins of the old one, the transport museum and the medieval streets of the centre are the highlights, and Birmingham and the wider Midlands are a short train ride away. A matchday at the arena pairs easily with a visit to the city.
The ground opened in 2005 as the Ricoh Arena, replacing Highfield Road, the club's home for more than a century. It was built as part of a wider complex with an exhibition centre, a hotel and a casino, and it took its current name when the Coventry Building Society acquired the naming rights. It was also home to the Wasps rugby club from 2014 until 2022, and Coventry City bought the ground in 2025.
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Sources: Coventry City (ccfc.co.uk), the Premier League, West Midlands Railway and Transport for the West Midlands, and stadium reference records such as the Football Ground Guide and Wikipedia, together with 2025-26 EFL Championship reporting confirming Coventry City's promotion to the Premier League.