London's O2 keeps its name until 2038 after a record naming rights renewal

The O2 is not about to become something else. On 7 October 2026, AEG and Virgin Media O2 announced a 10-year extension of the naming rights to the London arena, which now run until 2038.

The two companies describe it as a multi-million-pound agreement and the largest naming rights renewal of its kind in UK history. The financial terms have not been disclosed in the official announcement. It follows the previous 10-year deal signed in 2017, and the name has been on the building since the former Millennium Dome reopened as a live venue in 2007.

What changes for fans

The practical part is the ticketing. O2 and Virgin Media customers will get 50% more tickets through Priority Tickets, the presale scheme that gives them early access to shows at the arena. For the first time, Priority access will also cover indigo at The O2, the venue's 2,750-capacity room.

According to the announcement, Priority Tickets has sold 3.9 million tickets over the course of the partnership. If you have ever queued for a London arena presale, that is the scheme in question.

The numbers behind it

The announcement says The O2 has hosted more than 6,800 events and welcomed over 100 million visitors since 2007, with more than 30 million tickets sold. It will mark its 20th anniversary in 2027. A 2023 economic impact figure in the same release puts visitor spending at £2.8 billion and 25,000 jobs supported across the UK.

Gareth Griffiths, Director of Partnerships and Sponsorship at Virgin Media O2, said: "Live entertainment is in O2's DNA, and for nearly two decades The O2 has been at the heart of how we reward our customers." Paul Samuels, President of Global Partnerships at AEG International, said: "The renewal reflects the enduring strength of a relationship built on trust and innovation."

Why it matters

Venue naming deals rarely get this long. Two decades of the same name means artists, promoters and fans keep a fixed point of reference: "see you at the O2" is now guaranteed to mean the same place into the next decade. It also keeps the arena's presale model, a long-running part of how London tickets are sold, in place for the long term.

Rod Stewart's 2027 Final Encore run, which ADMC has covered, already includes a night at The O2.