Principality Stadium shortlisted for two awards at TheStadiumBusiness Awards

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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The Principality Stadium has been shortlisted for two categories at the TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2026, recognising both its events programme and accessibility innovation.

The Cardiff venue is a finalist for Event of the Year for hosting the opening shows of the Oasis Live ’25 tour, as well as for Product Innovation through its partnership with GiveVision.

Now in their 17th year, the awards celebrate leadership and innovation across the global stadium sector, with winners set to be announced in Manchester in June as part of TheStadiumBusiness Summit 2026.

The Event of the Year nomination follows two sold-out concerts at the stadium in July 2025, which opened Oasis’ reunion tour and drew global attention to Cardiff.

The tour went on to become the second highest-grossing of the year, attracting more than two million fans across 41 shows.

Mark Williams, Principality Stadium Manager, said: “To have been chosen by Oasis as the venue to open their long-awaited reunion tour was a tremendous honour, and the two nights we delivered in July lived up to every expectation.

“The atmosphere under the closed roof was extraordinary, with fans witnessing that opening moment that will be talked about for generations.

“This nomination is a testament to the skill and dedication of the entire stadium team, from operations and security through to our event day staff, who worked tirelessly to ensure the experience was world-class from gates opening to the final note of ‘Champagne Supernova.’”

The Product Innovation shortlist recognises the stadium’s rollout of GiveVision headset technology, aimed at improving the live experience for visually impaired supporters.

The system was trialled at major events throughout 2025, including the Women’s Six Nations and concerts, before being fully integrated into matchday and event operations.

Stan Karpenko of GiveVision said: “Over one million fans in the UK live with sight loss, yet they remain largely excluded from live matchday experiences.

“According to the RNIB, one in 30 people in the UK are affected, but only one in 3,000 spectators at any given match are visually impaired: a 100-fold gap we simply don’t think is acceptable.

“That’s why we introduced the GiveVision headset.

“We’re incredibly proud to work with industry pioneers like Principality Stadium, who have adopted this technology, and we want to ensure no visually impaired fan misses out, regardless of where they watch.

“For supporters attending matchdays where the technology isn’t yet available, we now loan GiveVision kits free of charge directly to fans to take along.

“Anyone interested can get in touch via our website at givevision.co.uk.”

Dan Cook, Head of Ticketing at the Welsh Rugby Union, said: “Our ambition has always been clear: to make Principality Stadium the most accessible and inclusive stadium in the UK.

“Over the past two years, we’ve taken major steps toward that goal by transforming how supporters with access requirements engage with us, from the moment they explore tickets to the moment they take their seat.

“Our focus is simple: to ensure every supporter can enjoy live events with the same freedom, dignity and independence as anyone else.”