Specialist events and hospitality teams from over 70 football, rugby and cricket venues across the UK have joined together to recognise and celebrate their ‘off the pitch’ successes at The Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2025. The 18th annual awards were sponsored by Global Payments and hosted at The American Express Stadium, home to Brighton & Hove Albion FC.
Over 400 guests attended the sell-out event to represent their teams in conference and events, matchday hospitality, chef teams, public catering, operational departments and senior management. The Stadium catering partner, Sodexo Live!, welcomed guests to a drink’s reception in the player’s tunnel and pitchside, before viewing their exclusive ‘Tunnel Club’. The awards were hosted upstairs in the stunning Mayo Wynne Baxter Lounge, with guests sampling the club’s 2024 award-winning ‘Tunnel Club’ menu, produced by MasterChef: The Professionals winner, Steven Edwards. The celebrations continued until 3am with an onsite after party at the premier leagues newest and largest fan zone, The Terrace, which opened in April this year.
The event is organised by Stadium Experience annually, and recognises the efforts and dedication shown by the catering, conference and events teams at every football, rugby and cricket stadium across the UK. 71 clubs were nominated for awards, with 26 different venues scooping at least one of 45 gongs. There were Bronze, Silver and Winner awards presented across 15 categories.
Independent Awards Judging
Each award category is independently judged (Stadium Experience does not judge any of the awards). In summary;
The judging panel for 2025 includes:
- Louisa Watson, 2025 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
- Kerrin MacPhie, Board Advisor ICC Wales
- Sandra Eyre, Director of Business Development at MIA
- Craig Prentice, Founder at mum
- Simon Ramsbottom, Projects Manager at tobook
- Shirley Wynne-Jones, Event Director at SWJ Events
- Sam Cowdrill, Stadium Account Manager at venuedirectory.com
Read more about the biographies of our judging panel.
The Full Results…
For the second year running, Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club scooped the top gong for Overall Matchday Hospitality Experience 2025, fighting off tough competition from 31 participating venues across the leagues. The full results list of 2025 award winners includes;
*NEW* 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: MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: COVENTRY BUILDING SOCIETY ARENA
Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award – Sponsored by Pieminister
This award is based on a mystery shopper corporate/business event sales enquiry call and follow up, made by our new judges from Sandown Effective Sales Solutions.
WINNER: RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: SOUTHAMPTON FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: ROTHERHAM UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
Matchday Sales Team of the Year Award – Sponsored by Network My Club
This award recognises the very best matchday sales team in UK stadium venues. Winners demonstrated strategies for growth, brave new ideas, and overcoming challenges.
WINNER: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: SOUTHAMPTON FOOTBALL CLUB
Non-Matchday Sales Team of the Year Award – Sponsored by Special Occasion Linen
This award recognises the very best non-matchday sales team in UK stadium venues. Winners demonstrates strategies for growth, new ideas for unique and different events, creative use of their spaces, and overcoming challenges.
WINNER: MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: MKM STADIUM, HULL
BRONZE: ARSENAL 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: LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: COVENTRY BUILDING SOCIETY ARENA
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: MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB (Christmas at City – Fan & Family Event)
SILVER: NEWCASTLE UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB (Trophy celebrations with 350,000+ people and only 11 days to organise)
BRONZE: SOUTHAMPTON FOOTBALL CLUB (Carnival Cruises bespoke Christmas Party for 1500 people)
Above & Beyond Recognition Award – Sponsored by Taste Beverages
This award recognises those individuals or teams who are simply outstanding at what they do, and continuously shine.
WINNER: KATY JOHNSON AT LEEDS HEADINGLEY STADIUM
SILVER: JULIE-ANN BUXTON-BEALES AT BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: POLLY WARD AT WALSALL 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: CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: LEEDS UNITED 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: HULL CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: BRENTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB
Visiting Rugby Directors Award – Sponsored by Get Pica
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: WARRINGTON WOLVES 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: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: MIDDLESBROUGH FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB
Matchday Hospitality Awards – Sponsored by Lockhart Catering Equipment, ACME and Chefs & Events Staffing
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: STOCKPORT COUNTY FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN FOOTBALL CLUB
Matchday Hospitality Award – Medium Stadium (1001 – 2000 hospitality seats)
WINNER: BRENTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: BRISTOL BEARS RUGBY CLUB
BRONZE: HAMPDEN PARK STADIUM
Matchday Hospitality Award – Large Stadium (2001+ hospitality seats)
WINNER: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: LEEDS UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
BRONZE: MANCHESTER 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: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB
SILVER: BRENTFORD RUGBY CLUB
BRONZE: BRISTOL BEARS RUGBY CLUB
Stadium Experience Chair Person Collette Salmon, commented:
“Another year and another milestone, we have now grown our membership to over 70 Stadium Venues across the UK across Football, Rugby and Cricket, our aim is to make sure that our venues keep up to date with new trends, directives, offering diverse and sustainable events, giving our customers the best experience in a very unique way, different to other venues adding a bit a little bit of the sporting magic to events, whether they are a having a business or personal event.
This year has seen us come back to having face to face events and seeing each other again to share our experiences and offer each other help, because that is what we do best at Stadium Experience. Thank you to all our members, the leadership team all the Winners in celebrating at our Awards evening, Brighton for hosting us and celebrating our success. Congratulations to every single person who is part of this journey, Debbie who keeps us in line and brings this superb event together for us, long may we continue.”
Steve McArdle from Global Payments, added:
“Global Payments are proud to be confirmed as the headline sponsors for another year. Our investment in this group of professionals has helped us engage directly with the heart of the stadium sector.
There has been a positive exchange of ideas, which has helped us shape our products and services into the Stadia and Event Hospitality space. There is plenty of energy and innovative ideas around this group, focused on the guest experience and delivering memorable experiences.”
Our 2025 Award Winners Said:
Awards hosts, Brighton & Hove Albion FC, won both the Matchday Hospitality Award Large Stadium and the Overall Matchday Hospitality Award for the second year. Ben Stephenson from the club, said:
“Proud As! We work so hard; we work so hard. It’s great to see this all fall in to place.”
Manchester City FC won a number of top awards. Rebecca Pickard, Head of Venue Sales for the club, said:
“I’m unbelievably proud of out non-matchday sales team – Still in shock, but it’s so very much deserved! Thank you to Stadium Experience and the judges for recognising all the hard work and effort that has gone into out success this year.”
Rangers FC won the Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award. Craig Richardson, Venue Director at the club, commented:
“This goes to Gemma Higgins & Zsofia Szabadi for their continued support, energy & efforts. Simply the best!”
Katy Johnson at Headingley Stadium in Leeds was given the top award for the Above & Beyond Recognition Award. She commented:
“Beyond grateful to be nominated for this award let alone win! I wouldn’t have done it without the amazing team at Headingly. Thank you!!”
Edgbaston Stadium took the top spot in the Chef Team of the Year Award. Dan Billingham at the stadium, commented:
“We pride ourselves on the amazing food we provide to guests at the Edgbaston and are really pleased our talented team are getting the recognition they deserve. We’d like to congratulate our chefs o& thank them for their creativity, professionalism and hard work.”
Tottenham Hotspur FC won the Visiting Football Directors Award and Matchday Sales Team Award. Matthew Bruce, Sales Manager at Tottenham Hotspur FC.
“To dare is to do! We are champions. Thank you to the #SEHA2025 organiser!”
Hull City won the Best Retail Catering Award. Henry Crane, Deputy General Manager at the stadium, said:
“This is recognition for a lot of hard work from a lot of people. We’re immensely proud of our output, creativity and consistency of service. Thank you for the recognition and we are excited to continue our standards throughout the forthcoming season.”
Stockport County FC won Matchday Hospitality – Small Stadium. Melissa Harding, Head of F&B commented:
“We are honoured to have received the award for matchday hospitality experience, recognising our commitment to outstanding guest experience.”
Gavin Bailey, Chief Operating Officer, Stockport County said:
“Winning the ‘Match Day Hospitality of the Year – Small Stadium ‘ award is an immense source of pride for everyone at Stockport County. It’s a truly significant achievement and a powerful testament to the dedication of our entire Food & Beverage and Hospitality teams, led so brilliantly by Mel. From the seamless experience managed by Olivia and Luke to the consistently incredible food created by John and his chefs, this award is a collective triumph. It underscores our commitment to delivering an outstanding experience off the pitch, matching the ambition we show on it, and showcasing the very best of Edgeley Park hospitality.”
Brentford FC won the Matchday Hospitality – Medium Stadium, and Silver Overall Award. Shinead Davis, Head of Premium said:
“A massive well done to all the hospitality team at Brentford FC including Levy. This award is well deserved from everyone on matchday.”
Claire Morris Sodexo Live! UK&I CEO said:
“We’re absolutely thrilled with our success at this year’s Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards. To take home 20% of the overall awards – including four golds – is an incredible achievement and testament to the passion, talent and dedication of our teams across the UK. These accolades reflect our relentless commitment to delivering exceptional hospitality and unforgettable moments for fans and guests. I couldn’t be prouder of our Experience Makers.”
The 2025 event concluded with the announcement of the host venue in 2026, which will be held at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the new home of Everton FC.
