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Visiting London? Add a London Lions basketball game to your trip. Home games are at the Copper Box Arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the former London 2012 Olympic Park in Stratford. The park is free to enter and close to Stratford station, with fast links to central London and St Pancras International. A game lasts about two hours and is fully indoors.
London's best-known attractions draw millions of visitors, but some of the most memorable experiences are the ones locals enjoy. A London Lions game gives visitors a night out with Londoners: a professional basketball game in an Olympic venue, a home crowd and an east London neighbourhood to explore before and after. This page explains where the Copper Box is, how to fit a game into your trip and what else to see nearby.
London Lions are the city's professional basketball club. The men's team plays in Super League Basketball, Great Britain's top men's league, and in European competition in the EuroCup. The women's team plays home games at NCC Hackney in Hoxton.
For visitors, a game offers something the usual sightseeing list doesn't:
Never watched basketball before? Our guide to your first London Lions game covers the basics.
The Copper Box Arena is in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, London E20 3HB, in east London. The park is in Zone 2, about seven minutes by train from Liverpool Street.
Southeastern high-speed trains run from St Pancras International to Stratford International in about seven minutes. Stratford International is about a 10-minute walk from the arena. That makes the Copper Box easy to reach for visitors arriving on international trains at St Pancras.
From Heathrow, the Elizabeth line runs into central London, where you can change for Stratford. From London City Airport, take the DLR and change at Canning Town for Stratford. Allow extra time, and check live service information before you travel. Our full guide to getting to the Copper Box Arena covers every route, including step-free options.
You can pay for London transport with a contactless bank card or a phone, or with an Oyster card. Use the same card or device for every journey in a day so daily fare caps apply.
Most men's home games are in the evening, with some on weekend afternoons. Most are at the Copper Box Arena, but some are played at NCC Hackney, so always check the venue on the fixture list and your ticket before you travel. Check the club's fixture list when you plan your trip, and book through the London Lions tickets page, which links to Ticketmaster. Prices vary by game and seat.
| Time of day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Morning | A central London sight, then the Elizabeth or Central line to Stratford |
| Lunch | Westfield Stratford City or Hackney Bridge |
| Afternoon | Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park: the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the waterways or the East Bank |
| Evening | The game at the Copper Box, then dinner or drinks in Hackney Wick |
Children aged two and under go free without a ticket. Every child aged three or over needs their own ticket, and children under five can't sit in courtside, dugout or baseline seats.
The park is free to enter every day. Highlights include:
A large shopping centre sits beside the park, with shops, restaurants and bars under one roof. It's a useful place to shelter from the weather between activities.
Across the park, Hackney Wick has canal-side bars, breweries, street art and independent restaurants in converted warehouses. It makes a good place for dinner after the game.
For ideas across the city, Visit London's guide to London attractions lists the main sights, and our guide to things to do in London this weekend helps you plan a full weekend.
Book your game before you book a dinner table. Once you know the tip-off time, plan the rest of the day around it.
If you have a single day, combine a morning in central London with an afternoon in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and an evening game. If you have a weekend, give east London a full day: the park, Hackney Wick's canals and street art, the East Bank and a game. Many visitors find that east London shows them a modern, local side of the city that the classic sights don't.
Stratford has a range of hotels within walking distance of the park, which makes a late game easy. Staying in central London also works well, because the Elizabeth, Central and Jubilee lines reach Stratford quickly. Choose a hotel near one of those lines and you'll be close to the arena and the main sights.
The basketball season runs through autumn, winter and spring, so a game is one of the few major events in London that is busiest when the weather is at its worst. The Copper Box is fully indoor, and Westfield Stratford City offers food and shopping under cover nearby.
If you've watched basketball in the United States, a game in London will feel familiar but different. British and European basketball follows FIBA rules, with four 10-minute quarters rather than the NBA's 12, and the style often places more emphasis on passing and team play. Crowds are lively and welcoming, with music, a pre-show and plenty of noise when the home team is defending. You don't need to know the rules to enjoy it.
The arena is cashless and accepts Visa, Mastercard and Maestro. Bring a card that works abroad without high fees, or pay with your phone.
The Copper Box is a registered accessible venue with accessible toilets and changing rooms. Wheelchair and ambulant tickets come with a free companion ticket and are booked through Ticketmaster. Stratford station has step-free access to its Jubilee, Central, DLR, National Rail and Overground platforms, and travel assistance can be booked in advance for National Rail and Overground journeys.
If you're visiting with a group or family, book seats together in the lower tier and agree a meeting point at Stratford station, because it's easy to lose each other in the crowds after the final buzzer.
Yes. A London Lions game at the Copper Box gives visitors a local experience in a 2012 Olympic venue, with a home crowd and around two hours of live sport. It's easy to combine with a day in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and dinner in Hackney Wick.
Take the Elizabeth line, Central line or Jubilee line to Stratford, then walk about 15 minutes through Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Or take the London Overground to Hackney Wick, about five minutes' walk away. The 388 bus stops outside the arena.
Southeastern high-speed trains run from St Pancras International to Stratford International in about seven minutes. From Stratford International, the Copper Box is about a 10-minute walk.
No. Bags must be roughly A4 size or smaller, every bag is searched, and there's no bag storage at the arena. Leave suitcases and large bags at your hotel.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the London Aquatics Centre, London Stadium, Lee Valley VeloPark and the East Bank cultural quarter. Westfield Stratford City and Hackney Wick are close by for food and drink.
For anything else, see the London Lions FAQs.
This article was checked against the sources above. Fixtures, prices and venue arrangements can change, so always check the latest details on the London Lions website before you travel.
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