First Direct Arena tickets
Gigs and comedy at Leeds city centre's fan-shaped arena: who sells each show, the tiers, travel, bag rules and resale prices.
Updated 5 Nov 2026
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First Direct Arena, officially Leeds Arena and now branded first direct bank arena, opened in 2013 on Claypit Lane in the Arena Quarter, behind the Merrion Centre. It was the UK's first fan-shaped arena: the floor and all three tiers of seats face the stage, and the venue publishes a capacity of 13,781 for its “super theatre” layout.
The arena names AXS as its official ticketing partner, but each tour chooses its own seller. Most of the shows listed here sell through Ticketmaster UK or Live Nation UK, with promoters such as SJM Concerts and Kilimanjaro Live behind several of them. At the latest check, on 31 October, every date still to come was on sale at its official seller.
The list below holds 24 upcoming dates at the arena. Across them, seats listed on Hellotickets start from £49 (checked 5 Nov 2026).
Next on the list: Courteeners on Friday 6 November.
The programme leans on guitar bands, pop and stand-up. Courteeners play in November and Blossoms on Thursday 3 December, while the comedy runs from Kevin Bridges in November to Jack Whitehall, Romesh Ranganathan and John Bishop in 2027. Erasure, Simple Minds and Weezer follow in May 2027.
Upcoming events and tickets
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Resale prices are the lowest listings seen on Hellotickets at our last check; official status as published by the club, league or promoter, with the date we checked.
Leeds Arena guide: tiers, travel and upgrades
Seating plan and stands
There are no stands here in the football sense. The arena is a single fan that opens towards the stage, with a floor and three seated tiers:
- Floor: in front of the stage, either a standing area or seated floor blocks lettered A to P, depending on the show. Under-14s are not allowed on the standing floor.
- Blocks 101-109: the first tier of seats, reached from Level 2. The accessible platform runs across blocks 101-104 and 106-109 at the back of this tier.
- Blocks 210-220: the second tier, also reached from Level 2, with fixed seats and armrests.
- Upper tier, blocks 321-333: on Level 4, with steep steps. The front of block 321 sits 19 m above ground level and the back of the tier 29 m, and the venue warns that it may not suit people with mobility problems.
Resale listings use broader labels than the venue's block numbers: Floor (or Floor Standing and Floor Seating), Lower, Middle and Upper, sometimes with “Tier” added. When a listing gives a block number, its first digit tells you the tier: 1 for the first tier, 2 for the second, 3 for the upper tier. One comedy date is listed by Level 2 and Level 3 instead, so read the description before you pay.
Children aged 24 months and over need their own seat, and under-14s in seated areas must be with an adult aged 18 or over. Families are therefore better placed in the tiers, or at shows with a seated floor. The First Direct Arena seating plan guide has more on each tier.
Getting there
The arena sits on Claypit Lane in Leeds city centre (LS2 8BY), beside the Merrion Centre, so most people arrive on foot from the stations:
- Rail: Leeds station, on New Station Street, is around a 15-minute walk.
- Bus and coach: Leeds City Bus Station and the coach station on Dyer Street are both about 15 minutes away on foot.
- Park and ride: the Elland Road service stops on Boar Lane, about 14 minutes' walk from the arena, and does not run on Sundays. The Stourton and Temple Green services stop on Lower Briggate, about a 15-minute walk.
- Car: the arena has no car park of its own. More than 7,500 spaces lie within a 15-minute walk, the closest in the Merrion Centre car park next door; use LS2 8BY in the satnav.
- Lifts: the venue asks for drop-offs and pick-ups to be arranged away from the arena, because the surrounding streets are congested after shows.
For a Sunday show, such as Romesh Ranganathan on Sunday 4 April 2027, the Elland Road park and ride is not an option.
The arena is cashless. Backpacks and large bags are refused at the door: only small bags or handbags no bigger than 35 x 40 x 19 cm, around A3, are allowed, and there is no cloakroom or bag storage. Entry includes Evolv security screening, the smoking areas are on Level 2, and the accessible entrance is to the right of the main doors.
Hospitality
Premium options are sold show by show, as upgrades on top of a ticket. They bring early entry and a welcome drink, and some add a two- or three-course meal; what is offered depends on the event, so check the show's page on the venue's site or with its official seller.
For a sold-out date, upgrades can be the last thing the official seller still offers. That was the case for Paul Heaton on Saturday 31 October, when Ticketmaster UK listed only resale tickets and hospitality packages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the seating capacity of the Leeds Arena?
The arena publishes a capacity of 13,781, the figure for the layout it calls a “super theatre”. How many of those places are seats depends on the show: the floor in front of the stage is either a standing area or seated blocks A to P, with blocks 101-109, blocks 210-220 and the upper tier, blocks 321-333, rising behind it.
What events are happening in Leeds this weekend?
At the first direct bank arena, the next date listed is Courteeners on Friday 6 November. The table on this page sets out every upcoming show at the arena in date order, with the latest official status and the lowest resale listing on Hellotickets wherever sellers have listed seats. For other venues in Leeds, check their own listings.
What size bag can you take into the first direct bank arena?
Only a small bag or handbag no larger than 35 x 40 x 19 cm, around A3 size. Backpacks and large bags are not allowed, and there is no cloakroom or bag storage, so they cannot be left at the door. Entry includes Evolv security screening, and the venue is cashless, so bring a card or phone to pay.
Can under-14s stand on the floor at the first direct arena?
No. The arena does not allow under-14s on the standing floor. In the seated areas, under-14s must be with an adult aged 18 or over, and children aged 24 months and over need their own seat, so families should look at the three seated tiers or at shows where the floor is seated.
Where can you park for the first direct arena?
The arena has no car park of its own. More than 7,500 spaces lie within a 15-minute walk, the nearest in the Merrion Centre car park next door, and the satnav postcode is LS2 8BY. Park and ride runs from Elland Road (not on Sundays), Stourton and Temple Green, and the venue asks for drop-offs and pick-ups away from the arena.
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